


Getting Along Like A Killer Harmony

by louquorice



Series: Hope's Peak Academy AU [1]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Actually has plot, Alternate Universe - Hope's Peak Academy (Dangan Ronpa), Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Dangan Ronpa V3 centric, F/F, F/M, Human K1-B0 (Dangan Ronpa), Iruma Miu's Dirty Mouth, Light Angst, M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, Oma Kokichi Being Oma Kokichi, Slow Burn, Swearing, chatfic/narrative prose mix, dirty jokes because of miu, great gozu is the homeroom teacher, his title is Ultimate Robotics Engineer, the angst isnt light apparently
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-05-16 20:08:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 66,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14818044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/louquorice/pseuds/louquorice
Summary: Sixteen talented teenagers form section A of class 79, the newest batch of students that are 'trapped' in the prestigious Hope's Peak Academy, and their only way out? UpupupuSurvive three years of school together, of course!Akamatsu Kaede, Ultimate Pianist and Class Rep, creates a groupchat wanting for everyone to be friends. On paper, it seemed like nothing could go wrong with such an innocent idea, especially with her good intentions--but Akamatsu forgot to account for the wildcard that could easily spell disaster in an instant: her own classmates.Or: The School Life of Hope's Peak Academy's freshmen batch 79A (begins as a chatfic, then it's a mix of narrative prose and chatting format).[The 'plot' starts at Chapter 3, so you may skip the first 2 if you want to go straight at it]Formerly titled: 10th Circle of Hell





	1. I: This Group chat's Alignment is Chaotic Chaotic

**Author's Note:**

> I… I made a chatfic tie-in of my HPA AU. It’s to make up for the lack of exposure of the other v3 kids in the comics ;w; also, chat fics are fun (and easier) to write (since my strength is with dialogue– I’m not really good at writing descriptions that’s why i just draw them lol more of that on my [tumblr: louquorice](http://louquorice.tumblr.com/))  
> and yes I drew the pic~
> 
> EDIT 11/18/18: I changed the title because plot happened lol ;)  
> Also this is no longer purely just a memey chatfic and the old title made it appear like one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **The prologue for this fic is Chapter 1 of[Behind Getting Along](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16449194/chapters/38517854), which chronicles their first day moving in the dorms**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> The groupchat was created around 2 weeks after the start of classes.

 

_04/21/18 07:19PM_

**Akamatsu Kaede**  added  **Saihara Shuichi** ,  **Yonaga Angie** ,  **Chabashira Tenko** ,  **Harukawa Maki**  and  **11 others**  to the chat.

 **Ouma Kokichi** : WHOMSTVE???

 **Iruma Miu** : WHAT IS UP FUCKERSSS

 **Harukawa Maki** : for what is this, Akamatsu?

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : Hi guys!! I just thought that a group chat would be a great way to even get to know each other.

 **Ouma Kokichi** : we live in a dorm together, we all go to class together… what MORE do you want piano idiot

 **Amami Rantaro** : she just needs an excuse to talk to a  _someone_

 **Yonaga Angie** : oooh Angie wonders who that might be~~

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : Amami-kun, shut

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : Okay, maybe a groupchat is redundant but

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : the upperclassmen have one per class and it sounds fun??

 **Harukawa Maki** : they’re just going to use this to send each other memes

 **Ouma Kokichi** : spot on assassin-chan!! you know us so well already, how sweet

 **Harukawa Maki** : die

 **Momota Kaito** : harumaki we talked about this

 **Harukawa Maki** : but this is Ouma we’re talking about

 **Momota Kaito** : fair enough

 **Ouma Kokichi** : OI

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : Okay, I don’t mind you guys using this to fool around but please don’t text during class!!

 **Iruma Miu** : booooring,,, didnt think ud be a stick in the mud bakamatsu

 **Ouma Kokichi** : yea ikr

 **Ouma Kokichi** : lets fix that

 **Ouma Kokichi**  removed  **Akamatsu Kaede**  from the chat

 **Iruma Miu** : LOL

 **Amami Rantaro** : what a power move

 **Saihara Shuichi** : Please don’t be mean to Kaede, she’s doing her best

 **Saihara Shuichi**  added  **Akamatsu Kaede**  to the chat

 **Shirogane Tsumugi** : Saihara-kun used lesser revival potion! Akamatsu-san’s back with 25% HP

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : this was a mistake, making this groupchat and being resurrected

 **Gokuhara Gonta** : Hello everyone! Gonta just went online and is happy to see that we have a groupchat! Gonta wants to be better friends with everyone!

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : Actually! I regret nothing now.

 **Saihara Shuichi** : Hi Gonta-kun

 **Harukawa Maki** : finally this groupchat seems bearable

 **Shirogane Tsumugi** : Gonta-kun is best boy!

 **Gokuhara Gonta** : Thank you Shirogane-san!

 **Ouma Kokichi** : k this is getting boring so lemme spice it up a bit

 **Ouma Kokichi**  changed  **Ouma Kokichi**  to  **Lord Panta**

 **Amami Rantaro** : first sign of the apocalypse

 **Lord Panta**  changed  **Amami Rantaro**  to  **imma meme**

 **imma meme** : no complaints here

 **imma meme** : its pretty bland actually,,

 **Lord Panta** : is that a challenge

 **imma meme** : if you’re going to make an avocado reference then don’t bother

 **Lord Panta** : damn

 **Lord Panta** : i’ll think of something better but for now youre a meme lord

 **Lord Panta**  changed  **Harukawa Maki**  to  **stabs ppl**

 **Lord Panta**  changed  **Momota Kaito**  to  **stab me Maki**

 **stabs ppl** : fuck you Ouma

 **stab me Maki** : u lil shit

 **Lord Panta** : boi im bein a wingman here

 **Shirogane Tsumugi** : Let their romantic development happen naturally!!

 **stab me Maki** : yeah what she said

 **Lord Panta** : whatever boring ppl

 **stab me Maki** changed  **stabs ppl**  to  **Maki Roll**

 **stab me Maki**  changed  **stab me Maki**  to  **starlord**

 **Lord Panta** : rly wanted to strangle starlord in Infinity War ykno

 **Maki Roll** : I still dislike this name but its kind of Ok

 **starlord** : :D

 **Chabashira Tenko** : I go online and this is what welcomes me

 **Chabashira Tenko** : a degenerate harassing a beautiful girl

 **starlord** : i wasnt harassing harumaki!!!!

 **Lord Panta** : tone down the gay there chabs u already have yumeno-chan

 **Yumeno Himiko** : ……..nyeh

 **Chabashira Tenko** : gtfo shota

 **Chabashira Tenko** : And dont call me chabs

 **Lord Panta**  changed  **Yumeno Himiko**  to  **Jingle Jangle**

 **Jingle Jangle** : ………thanks….. i hate it

 **Shirogane Tsumugi** : do you still watch that hot mess of a series

 **Lord Panta** : nah stopped watching ages ago, thats the last time im taking series recommendations from Angie-chan

 **Yonaga Angie** : Pardon my french but Atua says you’re a b i t c h (ಠ_ಠ)

 **Shirogane Tsumugi** : how much of the audience do you think would get that reference then

 **starlord** : shirogane wat

 **Jingle Jangle**  changed **Chabashira Tenko**  to  **chaotic lesbean**

 **Jingle Jangle**  changed  **Jingle Jangle**  to  **Do You Believe In Magic**

 **chaotic lesbean** : Tenko loves it!! thank you yumeno-chan <3

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : np………….

 **Lord Panta** : wow is it me or is the atmosphere here getting gay

 **Lord Panta** : hey hey akamatsu-chan did you intend for this to be a breeding ground for couples

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : No???

 **Saihara Shuichi** : Don’t mind him, he’s just bitter he doesn’t have anyone to be gay with

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : hasahshhaha OMG

 **imma meme** : asdndals;dskbdbjk

 **Lord Panta** : SAIHARA-CHAN HOW DARE U

 **Yonaga Angie** : Even Atua did not see that coming!

 **starlord** : hahahahaha thats my sidekick!!

 **Iruma Miu** : HAH GET REKT LIL ABORTION

 **Maki Roll** : nice

 **Lord Panta** : i’ll have you know i have ranty!!

 **Lord Panta** : right babe? ;)

 **imma meme** : went offline

 **Lord Panta** : >:C

 **Lord Panta** : hmph back to name changing then

 **Lord Panta**  changed  **Akamatsu Kaede**  to  **dumb blonde**

 **Lord Panta**  changed  **Iruma Miu**  to  **dumb blonde slut**

 **dumb blonde slut** : h-huh

 **dumb blonde** : OUMA-KUN

 **Saihara Shuichi**  changed  **dumb blonde**  to  **Treblemaker**

 **Saihara Shuichi** : I gotchu

 **Treblemaker** : Thanks Shu!

 **dumb blonde slut** : hey what about me

 **Yonaga Angie**  changed  **Yonaga Angie**  to  **bitch I am the WAY**

 **bitch I am the WAY** : (◔◡◔✿)

 **Shinguji Korekiyo** : Well this has been an interesting conversation so far.

 **dumb blonde slut** : whoop the stalker’s here

 **Shinguji Korekiyo** : I’ve always been here, from the very beginning. Just… Watching.

 **chaotic lesbean** : Tenko is filing a restraining order tomorrow

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Also!! Angie thinks your nickname suits you Miu!~ Atua does, too~~

 **dumb blonde slut** : eeeeehhhh

 **Treblemaker**  changed  **Saihara Shuichi**  to  **The Only Hope For Me Is You**

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : eeeeyy thanks Kaecchan!

 **Lord Panta** : geez we get it, you’re both so gay for each other

 **dumb blonde slut** : someone’s salty

 **Treblemaker** : What no

 **Treblemaker** : Shuichi is gay tho

 **Lord Panta** : OwO)???

 **imma meme** : YAAAAAAAS, MY BRETHR'N!!!!!!!

 **Maki Roll** : isn’t  **@The Only Hope For Me Is You**  an MCR song?

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Harukawa-san gets it

 **imma meme** : “Still in their Emo Phase” Solidarity!!

 **Maki Roll** : not another word from you Amami

 **Do You Believe In Magic**  changed  **Shinguji Korekiyo**  to  **Kork**

 **Kork** : …

 **Kork** : I suppose this will suffice.

 **Kork** : It’s not as tasteless as Iruma-san’s nickname.

 **dumb blonde slut** : EEEHHHHHHH

 **bitch I am the WAY** : she is truly screaming

 **Maki Roll** : it’s bordering on a moan actually

 **Idabashi Keebo** : I hear an unsettling distress call… what seems to be the problem?

 **starlord** : theres no problem keebs just ignore it

 **Gokuhara Gonta** : Hello Idabashi-kun!

 **Idabashi Keebo** : Greetings, Gonta-kun.

 **Shirogane Tsumugi** : This is so Pure™

 **Lord Panta** : Do you ship it

 **Shirogane Tsumugi** : stop

 **S** **hirogane Tsumugi** changed  **Shirogane Tsumugi**  to  **[anime reference]**

 **Lord Panta** : ehhh boring!!

 **Lord Panta**  changed  **Idabashi Keebo**  to  **Do Robots Have Dicks**

 **Lord Panta**  changed  **[anime reference]**  to  **Nani the FUCK**

 **Nani the FUCK** : kdajkdjdsl; OUMA

 **imma meme**  changed  **Nani the FUCK**  to  **Weeaboo Mastermind**

 **Weeaboo Mastermind** : Taro dhjsisjsksks you baka we’re Japanese

 **imma meme** : ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)

 **Do You Believe in Magic**  changed  **Weeaboo Mastermind**  to  **ShirogaNYEH**

 **imma meme** : HAHAHAHAHA ACCEPTABLE

 **chaotic lesbean** : that’s wonderful yumeno-chan!

 **ShirogaNYEH** : this will do for now I guess ;w;

 **Do Robots Have Dicks** : I do not like this name :(

 **Lord Panta** : its a valid question keeboy

 **starlord** : why do i hear sobbing from the next room

 **Treblemaker** : Look at what you’ve done Ouma-kun

 **chaotic lesbean** : do you want Tenko to break his legs

 **Treblemaker** : Uh, no need Chabashira-san!

 **Treblemaker**  changed  **Do Robots Have Dicks**  to  **Robot Rights Activist**

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Thank you Akamatsu-san!

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I am sorry for crying

 **ShirogaNYEH** : constant mood

 **Robot Rights Activist** : But next time I won’t be tolerant of such discrimination against my robotic creations!

 **Lord Panta** : whatevs

 **Tojo Kirum** i: A pleasant evening to everyone. I just got back from grocery shopping and re-stocked the pantry. If any of you require my assistance, you may reach out to me through this group chat.

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Welcome back Tojo-san

 **Lord Panta** : MOM!!! did you get me something from mcdonalds??

 **Tojo Kirumi** : I told you, we have food here.

 **Treblemaker** : She did buy a single black coffee from Mcdo though

 **Kork** : Well then

 **chaotic lesbean** : AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 **starlord** : SHE JUST MEME’D IRL

 **imma meme** : MOM KNOWS HOW TO MEME AKJSAJJDSK

 **Lord Panta** : uuuuuuuuuuu eeven mmom is bullyinnng mmmme :’((((

 **Lord Panta** : i hhaaaate thiisss faaaamilyyy uuuwaaaaaaaaa

 **Maki Roll** : then leave

 **Lord Panta** : wow no need to be a cunt, harumaki

 **starlord** : oy im the only one who can call her that!!

 **Maki Roll** : only Momota can call me that

 **Lord Panta** : cunt or harumaki???

 **Maki Roll**  removed  **Lord Panta**  from the chat

 **starlord** : NICE

 **ShirogaNYEH** : I SHIP IT

 **Maki Roll** : do you want to die shirogane

 **ShirogaNYEH** : I’M SORRY BLS DONT KILL ME

 **Kork** : Good riddance.

 **Do You Believe In Magic**  changed  **Tojo Kirumi**  to  **Mother Knows Best**

 **Mother Knows Best** : I suppose I will just have to contend with this nickname as most of you do act like children.

 **Imma meme** : dont worry tojo-san, akamatsu-san will be there with you every step of the way :3

 **imma meme** : OH SHIT SHES BREAKING INTO MY ROkjdjksfbjksdkladladhrwt4eqio

 **chaotic lesbean** : he’s good as dead im sure

 **The Only Hope For Me is You** : Uh where’s Hoshi-kun? He hasn’t said anything yet, I’m worried…

 **Gokuhara Gonta** : Oh! No need to worry Saihara-kun! Hoshi-kun is with Gonta out the garden, he didn’t bring his phone that’s why he is silent here!

 **Gokuhara Gonta** : We are catching some fireflies!

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : That is so pure oh my gosh

 **starlord** : its not manly but there are legit real tears in my eyes

 **chaotic lesbean** : you must be protected at all costs!!! the only non-degenerate male here

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You**  added **Ouma Kokichi**  to the chat

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** changed **Ouma Kokichi** to **Lord Panta**

 **chaotic lesbean** : WHY

 **Lord Panta** : IM BACK BITCHES I KNOW YALL MISS ME

 **starlord** : this betrayal… whyd u do it sai

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I’m sorry, I’m not… strong enough

 **starlord** : and this will make you strong??

 **Lord Panta** : he means hes not strong enough to resist my charms *finger guns*

 **starlord** : sure jan

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : He’s right

 **Lord Panta** : wait rly??????

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Atua did not see this coming too!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nickname guide
> 
> Lord Panta: Ouma  
> The Only Hope For Me Is You: Saihara  
> Treblemaker: Akamatsu  
> bitch I am the WAY: Yonaga  
> starlord: Momota  
> shirogaNYEH: Shirogane  
> Mother Knows Best: Tojo  
> imma meme: Amami  
> Maki Roll: Harukawa  
> Do You Believe In Magic: Yumeno  
> chaotic lesbean: Chabashira  
> Kork: Shinguji  
> Robot Rights Activist: Idabashi  
> dumb blonde slut: Iruma  
> N/A yet: Gokuhara & Hoshi


	2. I: The Walls Aren't That Soundproof Apparently

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Lord Panta** : EAT SHIT AND DIE DUMB BLONDE SLUT
> 
>  **Treblemaker** : Hey! No attacking!
> 
>  **imma meme** : you literally attacked me moments ago smh
> 
>  **Kork** : This is a mess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woo another update~ i already wrote these two chapters days ago while waiting for my AO3 account to activate so i might not update as quickly as i have for this normally ;w;  
> (Btw I made Great Gozu class 79's homeroom teacher :D)

_04/21/18 09:21PM_

**ShirogaNYEH** : welcome back! previously, Akamatsu-san creates a group chat, Ouma-kun uses it to stir some shit and in the end, a subtle confession was made!

 **starlord** : shirogane what the heck weve been chatting continuously

 **Maki Roll** : yeah what are you even going on about

 **ShirogaNYEH** : but it's not the same case with the audience

 **starlord** : what audience??

 **Lord Panta** : can we go back to my moment

 **chaotic lesbean** : no go away

 **Lord Panta** : ANYWAY

 **Lord Panta** : is it true shumai??

 **Lord Panta** : do you find me irresistible?

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I wouldn't use that adjective but yeah

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : you're hard to ignore

 **Lord Panta** : !!!!!!

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : since you constantly demand attention

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : You're like an annoying itch that just won't go away

 **starlord** : ooooh SHOT DOWN

 **Treblemaker** : Damn Shuichi, that's harsh

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : lol rip........

 **Maki Roll** : good job Saihara

 **Lord Panta** : I

 **Lord Panta** : …

 **Lord Panta** : that's hot

 **dumb blonde slut** : haha the purple twink is obviously a bottom

 **Lord Panta** : bitch it takes one to know one :)

 **dumb blonde slut** : eek n-no im not

 **starlord** : he didnt even deny it

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I backlogged and I seem to recall you express dissatisfaction over your assigned nickname, Iruma-san

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Why haven't you changed it yet?

 **Lord Panta** : coz she actually likes it, duh

 **dumb blonde slut** : piss off cockichi

 **dumb blonde slut** : awww kibs ur concerned!! i always knew u were in love with me

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I do not.

 **Treblemaker** : yeouch

 **starlord** : so many crushed hearts tonite

 **Lord Panta** : EAT SHIT AND DIE DUMB BLONDE SLUT

 **Treblemaker** : Hey! No attacking!

 **imma meme** : you literally attacked me moments ago smh

 **Kork** : This is a mess.

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Oh no, I'm sorry!

 **dumb blonde slut** : dont get ur panties in a twist idiot virgins

 **dumb blonde slut** : the great iruma miu is too gorgeous 2 be affected by this shit

 **dumb blonde slut** : im hella gay anyway

 **chaotic lesbean** : you go Iruma-san!!

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Still, I apologize if I came across as rude in any way! It was not my intention.

 **dumb blonde slut** : dont beat urself too much over it kibs

 **Treblemaker** : Aww Iruma-san really has a soft spot for Idabashi-kun

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Uh, Kaecchan, I assume you have your headphones on because I've been knocking on your door for awhile now and you haven't shifted from your position to indicate that you will answer the door.

 **ShirogaNYEH** : truly a detective,,,

 **Treblemaker** : oh shit sorry!!

 **chaotic lesbean** : AND WHAT IS A DEGENERATE LIKE YOU DOING IN THE FEMALE AREA OF THE DORM THIS LATE AT NIGHT

 **Treblemaker** : It's fine Chabashira-san!! Shuichi usually comes over so we can gossip or whatever

 **chaotic lesbean** : WHAT??? _USUALLY_??????

 **Maki Roll** : wow Saihara, you managed to sneak past Chabashira several times already, i'm impressed

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Thank you Harukawa-san! I feel validated.

 **Lord Panta** : ok is there really NOTHING going on between you and akamatsu-chan

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Kaede is my bestfriend?? I thought that was clear

 **Treblemaker** : Yeah, we were almost attached to the hip when we first moved here.

 **Kork** : He likely feels envious of your relationship.

 **Treblemaker** : Uh, you want to be his bestfriend too?

 **Lord Panta** : lol nah

 **Lord Panta** : im too good to be anyones bestfriend

 **Kork** : Perhaps he wants it to be more than that.

 **Lord Panta** : waaaaat no

 **imma meme** : aww i'm a little jealous i'm no longer on your radar ouma-kun

 **Robot Rights Activist** : No offense Amami-kun, but you need to raise your standards.

 **chaotic lesbean** : AHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA

 **Kork** : That is, how you say, "a sick burn."

 **Lord Panta** : lol im unfazed SO MOVING ON

 **Lord Panta** : quick question what are yall sexual orientations

 **Maki Roll:** you're being too obvious about this Ouma

 **imma meme** : im fabulously gay

 **chaotic lesbean** : isn't it obvious

 **dumb blonde slut** : dont have 2 repeat myself

 **dumb blonde slut** : id do nasty shit with guys too tho

 **dumb blonde slut** : i aint choosy

 **Lord Panta** : ud fvck any thing that moves 

 **imma meme** : anjsksdjs youre obvs pan, iruma-san

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : sexual attraction is tiring.........

 **ShirogaNYEH** : big mood!!

 **Kork** : I am in kin with them.

 **Treblemaker** : Actually, I'm Bi but I tend to prefer girls

 **starlord** : well since were being honest ok im bi too

 **Maki Roll** : ^

 **Gokuhara Gonta** : Gonta loves everybody!! And Hoshi-kun says he's Ace!

 **Treblemaker** : Gonta-kun, it's getting really late. You and Hoshi-kun should start heading back here.

 **Gokuhara Gonta** : Of course, Akamatsu-san!

 **Imma meme** : spoken like a true mom (besides tojo-san)

 **Treblemaker** : >:(

 **Robot Rights Activist** : My attraction is not affected by one's sexual orientation

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Angie is pan too!~

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I'm gay

 **Treblemaker** : He's been telling everyone that when we get mistaken as a couple smh

 **Lord Panta** : YEET

 **Maki Roll** : yep he was not subtle AT ALL

 **Treblemaker** : What about you **@Mother Knows Best**?

 **imma meme** : why do you want to know (͠≖ ͜ʖ͠≖)

 **Treblemaker** : It wouldn't be fair to leave someone out from a question addressed to everyone!

 **Treblemaker** : also, another word amami and im bashing your head with a shot put ball

 **ShirogaNYEH** : go get em Akamatsu-san!

 **imma meme** : im having war flashbacks

 **Mother Knows Best** : Thank you for your consideration, Akamatsu-san. Apologies for not replying the soonest as I had to attend to some last minute errands. To answer your query, my preference is of the same sex.

 **Lord Panta** : ok cool thank you for your input everyone!!!

 **Maki Roll** : you only wanted to know one person's tho

 **dumb blonde slut** : how about bull balls what do u think his orientation is

 **starlord** : are you referring to great gozu??

 **dumb blonde slut** : yea dumbass

 **dumb blonde slut** : oh fuck those huge man tits,,,

 **dumb blonde slut** : annsd heds a wretslerr he g ets all sewaTYyna d

 **chaotic lesbean** : OK TENKO HAS HEARD ENOUGH

 **Maki Roll** : Iruma shut the fuck up

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Angie hears moaning again and it is very disturbing~~

 **Treblemaker** : To think our rooms are billed as soundproof...

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I am effectively traumatized tonight.

 **ShirogaNYEH** : we need to take this up with the headmaster!!

 **imma meme** : uhhh its kinda weird to explain how we discovered the walls arent entirely soundproof

 **imma meme** : “our classmate was masturbating too loudly to thoughts about our homeroom teacher's man boobs”

 **Kork** : Let us not prolong this discussion. Can someone take care of that horrid excuse of a human being.

 **dumb blonde slut** : i fdhhfdhjdlsjfeadb;a;}"

 **starlord** : hey uh iruma u alright

 **Lord Panta** : dont type while doing your happy time, iruma-chan

 **Treblemaker** : BLS., STAHP

 **bitch I am the WAY** : oh, she has stopped

 **ShirogaNYEH** : is this a demonstration of Akamatsu-san's Class Rep powers

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Angie hears loud noises of struggle

 **bitch I am the WAY** : then some shuffling outside the hallway

 **bitch I am the WAY** : it is dead quiet now

 **chaotic lesbean** : what just happened

 **chaotic lesbean** : Tenko was terrified to peek outside

 **Treblemaker** : Harukawa-san we talked about this

 **Maki Roll** : what? I didn't kill her

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : yo

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Hello Hoshi-kun

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : just got back in the dorm with gokuhara

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : he went back to his room but

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : im still in the lounge rn

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : im seein tojo with a gagged and immobile iruma wrapped in a blanket being dragged across the room to the front door

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : tojo just dumped her out

 **Lord Panta** : NISHISHISHI PUNISHMENT TIME

 **chaotic lesbean** : :O

 **imma meme** : what an ICON

 **Treblemaker** : woah thats hot

 **bitch I am the WAY** : she is doing Atua's work~~

 **Mother Knows Best** : I was merely disposing of the trash.

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : …..tnx mom........

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Best mom!

 **starlord** : shouldn't that include ouma tho

 **Lord Panta** : suck my dick spaceman

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Language!

 **Lord Panta** : da hell keeboy it wasnt even that crass

 **Lord Panta** : also the others have been cussing a lot since earlier too

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I just do not like you in particular.

 **imma meme** : sizzled

 **Lord Panta** : why do u hurt me so, keeboy :( i fed u, i bathed u, i carried u in my womb

 **starlord** : what the frick

 **Gokuhara Gonta** : Oh no! What has been going on here, friends?

 **chaotic lesbean** : NOTHING! PLEASE CARRY ON WITH YOUR NORMAL NIGHTLY ROUTINE

 **starlord** : hey gonta, buddy, do me a favor and dont backlog

 **Gokuhara Gonta** : Alright, Momota-kun!

 **ShirogaNYEH** : Gonta-kun should not be tainted in any way!!

 **Treblemaker** : We should probably let Iruma-san inside now though

 **Lord Panta** : are you in league with the DEVOL

 **Maki Roll** : not like you're any better

 **Mother Knows Best** : Very well. I suppose she has learned her lesson, at least for this moment.

 **imma meme** : well this was wild

 **Treblemaker** : Let's not talk about this ever again

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Group chats tend to spiral down into levels of insanity the longer we spend time in it

 **Kork** : Might I suggest a more... family-friendly topic?

 **Treblemaker** : What is it, Shinguji-kun?

 **Kork** : Ghosts in Hope's Peak

 **starlord** : FUCK NO

 **Maki Roll** : i don't want him running into my room so, a different topic please

 **bitch I am the WAY** : hmmm what about nicknames for Gonta and Ryoma!~

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Good idea, Angie-san

 **Kork** : For now, I shall contend with a topic as basic as that.

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : ….........wow kork,,,,,, that salt

 **Gokuhara Gonta** : Oh yes! Gonta is excited on what name friends will gift him!

 **imma meme** : okay we better not fuck this up then

 **Lord Panta** : allow me~

 **Maki Roll** removed **Lord Panta** from the chat

 **starlord** : lol sniped again

 **imma meme** : DEADT

 **chaotic lesbean** : noone must ruin this special moment!!

 **Do You Believe In Magic** changed **Gokuhara Gonta** to **Good Noodle**

 **imma meme** : yumeno-san is our name-changing cryptid

 **Good Noodle** : Thank you Yumeno-san! Gonta loves this nickname!

 **ShirogaNYEH** : im,,, CRYING

 **chaotic lesbean** : you're doing amazing, sweetie

 **Do You Believe In Magic** changed **Hoshi Ryoma** to **quail egg**

 **ShirogaNYEH** : s m o l  b e a n

 **quail egg** : NO

 **imma meme** : hoshi-kun can literally punt us to pluto let's not baby him

 **starlord** : not to mention that hes got a deeper voice than the rest of us guys

 **starlord** : its so manly

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Momo-kun, your gay is showing

 **Treblemaker** : Yay! Now everyone's got a nickname.

 **Treblemaker** : We should probably add Ouma-kun back here.

 **quail egg** : politely declines

 **chaotic lesbean** : you are too nice akamatsu-san!!!

 **ShirogaNYEH** : funny how we somehow end up kicking Ouma-kun out the chat then add him later towards the end of the chapter...

 **starlord** : ????

 **Treblemaker** added **Ouma Kokichi**  to the chat

 **Ouma Kokichi** : nishishishi i knew i could count on you akamatsu-chan~

 **starlord** : i just read his laugh in his voice i feel violated

 **Do You Believe In Magic** changed **Ouma Kokichi** to **notto disu shitto agen**

 **Maki Roll** : fitting

 **notto disu shitto agen** : i feel loved

 **notto disu shitto agen** : rly tho i like this name i'll keep it

 **Kork** : Brace yourselves.

 **dumb blonde slut** : THE GREAT IRUMA MIU IS BACK YA DUMB VIRGINS

 **Maki Roll** : fuck go back

 **Kork** : This is the 10th Circle of Hell.

 **Mother Knows Best** : I would like to inform everyone that the time is now five minutes past eleven in the evening. I believe this is the ideal time for all of us to get some rest as we have a class on Physical Education early morning.

 **Good Noodle** : Thank you for reminding us, Tojo-san!

 **imma meme** : omg I hate PE

 **notto disu shitto agen** : but moooooom

 **Mother Knows Best** : All of you go to sleep or I will not make breakfast for everyone tomorrow.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : okay okay jeez

 **dumb blonde slut** : yes mommy

 **starlord** : aight mom

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Apparently, Angie must postpone her sacrificial ritual tonight~~

 **ShirogaNYEH** : awww I wont binge watch anime tonight then

 **Do You Believe In Magic:** ….....good nyt...................

 **chaotic lesbean** : Sleep well yumeno-chan <3

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : …...........nyeh <3

 **Good Noodle** : Goodnight everyone!

 **quail egg** : night

 **dumb blonde slut** : nyt cocksuckers

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Good night, everyone!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : hey saihara-chan are you back at your room can I come over :v

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : nah I'm sleeping over Kaede's tonight. It's so cozy here

 **notto disu shitto agen** : WHAT

 **chaotic lesbean** : _WHAT_

 **Mother Knows Best** : Saihara-san, I am afraid I will have to escort you out. Now.

 **imma meme** : oof

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't really put much thought on their nicknames yet huhu  
> also, comments and kudos are much appreciated
> 
> nickname guide
> 
> notto disu shitto agen: Ouma  
> The Only Hope For Me Is You: Saihara  
> Treblemaker: Akamatsu  
> bitch I am the WAY: Yonaga  
> starlord: Momota  
> shirogaNYEH: Shirogane  
> Mother Knows Best: Tojo  
> imma meme: Amami  
> Maki Roll: Harukawa  
> Do You Believe In Magic: Yumeno  
> chaotic lesbean: Chabashira  
> Kork: Shinguji  
> Robot Rights Activist: Idabashi  
> dumb blonde slut: Iruma  
> Good Noodle: Gokuhara  
> quail egg: Hoshi


	3. I: What could go wrong with Movie Night?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **imma meme** : **@shirogaNYEH @GoodNoodle** hey lets go buy some snacks!! i've already asked permission from akamatsu-san
> 
>  **Treblemaker** : You... didn't really have to though
> 
>  **imma meme** : but ur (other) mom
> 
>  **ShirogaNYEH** : okay!! let me just get changed
> 
>  **Good Noodle** : Gonta will be down in a moment!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** hoshi isnt an ex-con here, rather his family got murdered by a mafia and he's trying to track them down
> 
> ohoho this has a slight plot  
> since i'm not a hardcore memer nor do i always watch vine compilations,  
> so its hard for me to write the crack part sometimes ;w;
> 
> i think this chapter is long lol
> 
> EDIT 12/04/18: old readers rereading... if you notice something new, its probably coz im re-writing some parts with prose :D

_04/22/18_ 8:34am

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Good morning to all!

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I hope everyone has slept well.

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Nah I have insomnia. Good morning Iidabashi-kun.

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Oh no, do you take medication for that Saihara-kun?

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I do, don't worry about it :D

 **starlord** : HOLY SHIT GUYS I JUST WOKE UP

 **starlord** : IM GONNA BE LATE!!

 **Robot Rights Activist** : What is the matter, Momota-kun?

 **starlord** : hskgadhsjdabfefaas

 **starlord** : jd'LDS'N;sdjihfouwueg

 **Maki Roll** : you better have a damn good reason for keyboard smashing this early

 **starlord** : HELL YEAH ITS IMPORTANT

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Well, good morning to you too Momo-kun

 **starlord** : i dont have time for your morning sass sai

 **starlord** : is juzo already there or

 **chaotic lesbean** : what in degenerate hell are you talking about

 **starlord** : WE HAVE PE???

 **Robot Rights Activist** : PE? We have PE today? I was not informed.

 **starlord** : YES KIBS WE DOOOO

 **starlord** : brb gotta bathe

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Someone should tell him

 **chaotic lesbean** : nah tenko wants to see how far this will go

 **Maki Roll** : i guess I'll have to do it

 **Maki Roll** : momota

 **Maki Roll** : calm down

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : **@starlord**

_**starlord** is offline_

**The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Hm

 **Maki Roll** : gdi I'll be right back

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I'll go with you!

 

The savory smell of bacon and sausages, a smoky blend of maple and garlic, wafted through the kitchen. Akamatsu sits idly at the dining table, coffee in hand, as she eyes Tojo perform culinary feats with the cookware. A metal spatula on one hand and kitchen tongs on the other, the maid was able to fry heaps of bacon while flipping several Bratwurst sausages at the grill, a fascinating display of efficient multi-tasking. She had earlier offered to help Tojo (although she wasn't exactly sure how given her terrible cooking skills) but the taller girl had kindly reassured she could handle the task.

Akamatsu yawns, stretching her legs under the table, then further relaxes on the chair. "Don't worry Akamatsu-san, breakfast will be ready shortly," Tojo says, taking out some plates and bowls from a cabinet.

"Oh, no, no... I wasn't trying to rush you or anything." Akamatsu hops out from the chair and walks to where Tojo was. "And at least let me help you with this. I'll get the utensils."

"Very well, if that is what you wish." Tojo smiles softly at her, then promptly turns around to begin plating the meat dishes. Akamatsu feels thankful that Tojo's back was facing her so she wouldn't have to go through the trouble of clumsily hiding the insurmountable blush spreading across her cheeks. After picking enough utensils for the class, she picks up a few of the plates Tojo placed on a counter and transfers them to the dining table. Just then, she hears a pained cry and a sequence of thumping; someone was likely running down the stairs.

Akamatsu walks toward the doorway and peeks out into the living room. "Hey, quiet down, it's early in the--" Momota passes by her in a frenzy, quickly exiting through the front door still in his slippers. Deciding to go for a faster result for her queries, she takes out her phone from her pocket and visits the class group chat. She was still in the middle of typing her description of prior events when Harukawa zips past by. "H-Harukawa-san?" The assassin ignores her, quickly putting on her slip-on shoes before darting out the door. Moments later, Saihara also sprints past her, pace considerably slower. "Shuichi? What is going on?" She calls out to him just he was putting on outdoor shoes.

"S-Sorry, Kae, explain later!" Saihara replies as he exits, his shoes weren't even secured on properly; his heels were sticking out.

 

 **Treblemaker** : Hey guys! Uh, what's going on?

 **Treblemaker** : I just saw a frazzled Momota-kun run pass the kitchen.

 **Treblemaker** : I think he still has shampoo on his hair.

 **Treblemaker** : And he's in his PE uniform for some reason.

 **chaotic lesbean** : just a degenerate being dumb

 **notto disu shitto agen** : nishishishi

 **Treblemaker** : Ouma-kun, what did you do??

 **notto disu shitto agen** : i didnt do nothin, piano idiot

 **ShirogaNYEH** : Those are double negatives?

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Hello Akamatsu-san, Shirogane-san :)

 **ShirogaNYEH** : Hi Iidabashi-kun!

 **ShirogaNYEH** : Also, good morning **@everyone**!

 **chaotic lesbean** : good morning shirogane-san!

 **Good Noodle** : Good Morning!!!!

 **imma meme** : whaddup!!!

 **Kork** : A pleasant morning to everyone as well.

 **chaotic lesbean** : ew

 **chaotic lesbean** : not you tho **@Good Noodle**

 **Mother Knows Best** : Good day to all, you may proceed to the kitchen area for breakfast. I have prepared bacon, eggs and sausages. Please let me know if you want tea or coffee.

 **bitch I am the WAY** : ohhh an English Breakfast~ Splendid, Kirumi-san!

 **imma meme** : we'll be rite down! 

 

When Amami said 'they'll be right down,' Akamatsu didn't expect most of her classmates to actually have breakfast at the same time. The dining table could only fit about eight people at a time, and the kitchen itself wasn't that spacious. It makes sense because ideally not all sixteen of them would have meals together at the same time, and if they wanted to, the living room or the study area was a better venue to host all of them. But she wasn't about to suggest that idea if it meant Tojo would have more work insisting to clean up after them on a Sunday. She was halfway through her plate when the bulk of her classmates started filing in for a meal, so she opts to finish the rest of her breakfast leaning on the counter next to the fridge to offer her seat to someone. Amami joins her and they have an engaging talk about their respective international travels until a disheveled Momota appears before them, Harukawa and Saihara just behind him.

"So, we don't have PE today..." He says softly, tone disheartened, as if he just realized an existential truth. Tojo, who was currently pouring coffee into Shinguji's mug, abruptly stops her task and cranes her head towards his direction, looking like a deer caught in headlights-- her eyes wide and her mouth slowly forming an 'o.' It's the first time Akamatsu sees her show raw emotion. _It's cute_.

Meanwhile, Ouma cackles. "Nishishishi, you got punked by mom!"

Tojo bows her head slightly. "My apologies, Momota-san. I was under the impression that everyone understood I was only feigning a joke to get all of you to sleep early as a 'mother' typically would, given that it would be Sunday the next day," she says before resuming her task.

"Wow, Tojo-san is ever so formal even when cracking a joke," Shirogane says, a finger on her lips.

Not entirely with her permission, Akamatsu's mouth says, "It's kind of endearing." It was spoken in a hushed tone but naturally the someone that's beside her was able to hear it. From the corner of her eye, she spots Amami give her a knowing look. She pinches his thigh, and a strained yelp escapes from him. Thankfully, since they weren't that near the dining table, their antics didn't raise any eyebrows.

"No hard feelings, Tojo. I'm aware I'm a dumbass." Momota groans and slumps his shoulders.

Harukawa slaps his arm, jolting him. "At least that little oversight got him to bathe early. C'mon, let's have breakfast." The duo make their way to the table, while Saihara gets himself a glass of water before joining Akamatsu and Amami at the corner.

"Don't you want to get breakfast first, Shu?"

Saihara shakes his head. Beads of sweat were running down his pale face and his breathing was rather heavy. "I need to catch my breath first. Felt like I ran a mile back there." He downs his glass of water.

"Take it easy. Just take small sips or you might choke," Amami says, patting the other boy's back.

"Yeah, that'll be a boring way to choke on something." Ouma bounces toward them. "Maybe I'll show you a better way someday, Saihara-chan," he says, winking. Amami wolf whistles and cheers on Ouma.

Akamatsu pinches the bridge of her nose, unamused by the suggestive dialogue. _Thank Kami, Iruma-san isn't here yet to hear that_. She sees Saihara squirm in place, and avert his gaze momentarily before forcing out a chuckle, clearly uncomfortable, but Akamatsu is faintly aware of the tips of his ears reddening. Momota and Harukawa, a plate of their respective food on hand, join their small group.

"Woah there sidekick, you doin' alright? You look so pale." Momota clasps his hand over Saihara's forehead. "And sweaty."

Saihara huffs. "Well, you should know. If you stopped when we called out to you, we wouldn't have had to run so much."

"I never demanded you to keep up," Harukawa mumbles under her breath.

Momota pats Saihara's head, it's akin to someone appeasing a puppy after stepping on it accidentally. Ouma looks away, rolling his eyes.

"Heh, sorry 'bout that. That gives me an idea though! We should work on your cardio," Momota says. Saihara gestures for him to stop patting. Ignoring the detective, Momota continues, "Let's do some late night fitness training! The two of us, and Harumaki!" The girl grimaces upon hearing her name, but she doesn't outwardly decline.  

"The gym is closed at night, isn't it?" Amami asks.

"Yeah, but we ain't doin' it at the gym. I know a secret courtyard that isn't checked often by security!"

Akamatsu crosses her arms. "Wait, late night, as in past curfew, and venue outside the dorms? Momota-kun..."

"Yes, that's not allowable, Momota-chan. That's a crime!" Ouma raises an index finger. Akamatsu gives him a bewildered look before opening her mouth to say something but the supreme leader cuts her off. "Two non-straight boys sneaking off somewhere private at the dead of night to get all sweaty... That's a crime! Against Heterosexuality!" Yet again, it makes Saihara squirm in place. Amami sinks to the floor laughing, while the two girls let out an exasperated groan.

"Fuck you, you dirty little bastard!" Momota swipes at him but the smaller boy nimbly dodges the assault. Ouma sticks his tongue at him.

"I'd like to join that gay agenda, though."

"No!" Saihara, Momota _and_ Harukawa chorus. Momota turns to her with a perplexed look, but at the same time, he seems expectant. "Yes, I'm joining you two. I thought that was given."

"You didn't look like you were into it at first..." Momota says.

"Do you want me to change my mind?"

From the dining table, Shirogane says, "Harukawa-san is really a tsundere, isn't she?" This earns her a pointed glare from the assassin, but noises of affirmation from everyone else.

Just then, Iruma walks into the kitchen, Iidabashi tailing her from behind. In typical Iruma fashion, she announces her arrival with a bombastic introduction that mostly fell on deaf ears. Only Tojo acknowledges her, to put the term loosely, as she greets any new arrival as an obligatory courteous gesture. Unfazed by the lackluster response, she and Iidabashi make their way to the table. By this time, Chabashira, Yumeno, Yonaga, Shirogane and Gokuhara were seated at the table; the latter two having their own discussion while the other three were in their own world.

Yonaga takes notice of Iruma, beckoning her to sit beside her. "Miu! Angie saved you some sausages!"

From beside her, Chabashira squeals. "Aww, girls supporting girls!"

"Angie knows how much you appreciate them shoved into your mouth five at a time." Iruma smirks at the remark, puffing out her chest like such a feat is a great accomplishment. Chabashira's mouth drops open, her gaze shifting between Yonaga and Iruma. The small group standing up even shifted their focus on the incident at the table.

Amami steps forward. "Just five? I can take seven," He says in utmost confidence, complete with a smug look. Iruma snorts at this.

Shinguji, who was having small talk with Tojo some steps away, paused their discussion to join the fray. "Unimpressive. I can take nine." He proceeds to remove his mask intent on a demonstration but Akamatsu dissuades him.

"Ah, it seems we have lured out more sinners," Yonaga says.

Gokuhara raises his hand and proudly declares, "Gonta can have twelve!"

Akamatsu lowers her head into her palms, making a disgruntled noise. The rest of them devolve into sounds of anguish, whether it was because Gokuhara obliviously played along or because of being bested by the hulking boy. The 'players' nonetheless express their acceptance of defeat.

"I knew Gonta-chan would be a top!" Ouma says, earning a boisterous laugh from Iruma. Another wave of groans. Although confused, Gokuhara thanks him nonetheless.

Akamatsu approaches the center of the dining area, a hand rubbing her right temple. "You know, if we're going to do some bonding, we should at least do it properly."

"Akamatsu-chan, you can't force us to just bond on cue, it happens naturally."

"I know, it's just... we haven't done anything together except staying put in a classroom. This is the first time almost all of us are in one room, and doing something together."

"So, bottom line, you want us to have an orgy," Iruma says while chewing her food (Iidabashi scolds her about it). Yonaga excitedly seconds the motion, unnerving most of the others.

"Well, the game room has a basement extension. We can have a party down there," Amami says.

"Or we perform a seancé to contact our departed loved ones," Shinguji casually says, to which Momota vehemently protests.

"Watch movies," Harukawa says.

Akamatsu perks up. "Yes, let's go with that." Several of her classmates also voice their affirmation.

"You just had to pick the most boring one. Well, I'm out." Ouma puts both hands behind his head and walks off.

"Wait, you know you're included here too!" Akamatsu says, making the small boy pause in his tracks. He turns around to look at them, a grin plastered on his face.

"That's sweet, Akamatsu-chan. But it's not like I think I'm excluded. I just don't want to join."

"Come on, Ouma-kun. I know you think we're beneath you but learn to cooperate once in awhile. We're only doing this once, it won't kill you."

Ouma raises an eyebrow, his grin vanishing momentarily before it returns as a calculated smirk. "Alright, alright, Akamatsu-chan. Since you asked nicely."

They proceed to plan for 'movie night,' as they rightly dubbed it. Shirogane offers her collection of anime movies to counter Amami's meme movie collection and she gains the most preference, only relenting to watch The Bee Movie for Gokuhara. The group eventually go their separate ways and go about their day until afternoon arrives. 

 

–

 **Treblemaker** : Has anyone seen Hoshi-kun?

 **Good Noodle** : Gonta has not yet seen him today, Akamatsu-san :c

 **Treblemaker** : It's fine Gonta-kun! I'm just a bit worried. I don't think he has come down to have breakfast or lunch yet.

 **Mother Knows Best** : I checked up on him earlier and he requested I do not disturb him.

 **Treblemaker** : Did you ask why?

 **Mother Knows Best** : I'm afraid I haven't.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : lets just leave him be for now akamatsu-chan

 **Treblemaker** : I can't help being worried okay!! Hoshi-kun quite a reclusive person. I just want to make sure he's fine and not...

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I understand your worry Kaede-san, I'll go check up on him right now!

 **Treblemaker** : Thanks Shuichi-kun!

–

 **imma meme** : **@shirogaNYEH @GoodNoodle** hey lets go buy some snacks!! i've already asked permission from akamatsu-san

 **Treblemaker** : You... didn't really have to though

 **imma meme** : but ur (other) mom

 **ShirogaNYEH** : okay!! let me just get changed

 **Good Noodle** : Gonta will be down in a moment!!

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I'm talking to him now and he's doing alright. He apologizes that he won't be joining in our movie session later, he just needs to be by himself for awhile.

 **Treblemaker** : Alright, but he still needs to eat.

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Oh no need to worry on that Kaede-san. He's got a pack of protein bars here. He just doesn't want to be bothered today.

 **Treblemaker** : That's hardly a healthy meal.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : ah ah akamatsu-chan you should respect hoshi-chan's wishes

 **Treblemaker** : I am but he still needs to take care of himself no matter what he's feeling.

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : uhhh Kaede-san did you send Tojo-san here

 **Treblemaker** : Yeah, she has food. She'll come back there again later in the evening for his dinner.

 **quail egg** : akamatsu I appreciate the concern but this is unnecessary

 **notto disu shitto** : that's what ive been telling her~~

 **Treblemaker** : oh my god hoshi-kun are you trying to track your family's killers in there??

 **quail egg** : fuck, did tojo tell you?

 **notto disu shitto agen** : you really cant stop yourself from being nosy eh, class rep

 **Treblemaker** : im not being nosy!! I'm just concerned? And yes tojo-san told me because I asked her what was going on with you

 **notto disu shitto agen** : she means she “requested” her coz tojo-chan was unwilling to disclose anything at first

 **quail egg** : can we drop this?

 **quail egg** : akamatsu mind your own business okay

 **quail egg** : all I ask is you all leave me be for the time being

_**quail egg** is offline_

**The Only Hope For Me Is You** : wellp I got kicked out of his room.

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : but not literal

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : He just calmly ushered me out.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : ah you rly dunnit, akamatsu-chan

 **notto disu shitto agen** : so now what have you got to say for yourself~

 **Treblemaker** : what are you trying to say?

 **notto disu shitto agen** : arent you going to apologize? its your fault

 **Treblemaker** : what??

 **notto disu shitto agen** : here, let me help you!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : “im sorry for being so self-righteous and bossy, I just thought forcing yall to do this one thing together would help us all be friends”

 **Treblemaker** : what? I dont

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Ouma-kun! Have more care with your words!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : this is bare minimum, 

 **notto disu shitto agen** : ya gotta admit its tru tho

 **notto disu shitto agen** : she is self-righteous and bossy

 **Mother Knows Best** : Ouma-san, that's enough.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : jeez tojo-chan, a little endearment would be nice

 **notto disu shitto agen** : anyway

 **notto disu shitto agen** : forcing us to 'bond' wont foster cooperation or will make everyone magically friends with each other

 **Treblemaker** : Ouma-kun, can we talk about this in person

 **notto disu shitto agen** : can yall stop interrupting me pls

 **notto disu shitto agen** : i admit you seem to always have the best intentions in mind

 **notto disu shitto agen** : but your way isnt the only way, yknow

 **notto disu shitto agen** : your concern for the well being of the class is admirable akamatsu-chan

 **notto disu shitto agen** : but youre going about it in a counterproductive way

 **Treblemaker** : I'm really sorry

 **Mother Knows Best** : You could have been less tactless with how you got your point across, Ouma-kun.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : hey its tough love, mom

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Ouma-kun I'm coming over

 **chaotic lesbean** : OK what the fuck i just saw akamatsu-san run pass by my room in tears

 **chaotic lesbean** : I AM BREAKING SOME LEGS

 **chaotic lesbean** : OUMA!!!!!

 **Treblemaker** : no, its fine dont worry about it chabashira-san

_**Treblemaker** went offline_

\--

 **imma meme** : woah woah we just went out to get some snacks and this disaster happens

 **ShirogaNYEH** : Ouma-kun that was rude D:<

 **ShirogaNYEH** : tho I kind of slightly agree with him?

 **Good Noodle** : Is Akamatsu-san alright?

 **imma meme** : probably not emotionally but still overall doing fine

 **ShirogaNYEH** : I guess we should postpone our movie night today

 **imma meme** : yeah I think we all need a breather

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is kinda based off the chapter 1 confrontation between ouma and akamatsu, minus the death road to despair lol  
> \--
> 
> notto disu shitto agen: Ouma  
> The Only Hope For Me Is You: Saihara  
> Treblemaker: Akamatsu  
> bitch I am the WAY: Yonaga  
> starlord: Momota  
> shirogaNYEH: Shirogane  
> Mother Knows Best: Tojo  
> imma meme: Amami  
> Maki Roll: Harukawa  
> Do You Believe In Magic: Yumeno  
> chaotic lesbean: Chabashira  
> Kork: Shinguji  
> Robot Rights Activist: Idabashi  
> dumb blonde slut: Iruma  
> Good Noodle: Gokuhara  
> quail egg: Hoshi


	4. I: Death Road of Despair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Saihara Shuichi** : Huh
> 
>  **Saihara Shuichi** : So this is just your twisted way of showing you care
> 
>  **Ouma Kokichi** : For a detective you sure do talk shit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They only know each other for two weeks and shit has already hit the fan ajljsjasdhasj
> 
> wooo another update, im on a roll
> 
> nickname guide:
> 
> notto disu shitto agen: Ouma  
> The Only Hope For Me Is You: Saihara  
> Treblemaker: Akamatsu  
> bitch I am the WAY: Yonaga  
> starlord: Momota  
> shirogaNYEH: Shirogane  
> Mother Knows Best: Tojo  
> imma meme: Amami  
> Maki Roll: Harukawa  
> Do You Believe In Magic: Yumeno  
> chaotic lesbean: Chabashira  
> Kork: Shinguji  
> Robot Rights Activist: Idabashi  
> dumb blonde slut: Iruma  
> Good Noodle: Gokuhara  
> quail egg: Hoshi

_04/22/18 4:39PM_

**starlord** : man this groupchat is barely a day old and we got drama already

 **chaotic lesbean** : don't treat this like a soap opera drama you ignorant degenerate

 **starlord** : dude im not!!

 **chaotic lesbean** : dont call me a dude!!!!

 **starlord** : sorry!!!!!!

 **Maki Roll** : stop yelling

 **starlord** : were not even using all caps?

 **Maki Roll** : yes but you're both literally yelling what you're typing

 **Maki Roll** : and merely right across each other in the same room

 **starlord** : touche

 **Maki Roll** : and this isn't helping our situation right now

 **ShirogaNYEH** : um should we go talk to them?

 **Good Noodle** : Gonta doesn't like it when friends fight :(

 **imma meme** : it'll probably be overwhelming for them if we talk to them in a pack

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I got it, I'm trying to talk to Ouma-kun rn

 **starlord** : no offense but shouldn't it be you comforting akamatsu coz youre bestfriends and all

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : She ran off and I'm sure Tojo-san chased after her already

 **imma meme** : i want to say something but it wont be helpful so imma shutup

 **starlord** : hm why are you trying to comfort ouma tho he was being a lil bitch in the first place

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : exactly why I need to talk to him so ttyl

 

–

**4:44PM Saihara Shuichi to Ouma Kokichi**

**Saihara Shuichi** : Ouma-kun please let me in

 **Saihara Shuichi** : literally and figuratively

 **Ouma Kokichi** : why should I shumai, hmmm?~

 **Saihara Shuichi** : Ouma-kun please

 **Ouma Kokichi** : messaging is fine ykno~~

 **Saihara Shuichi** : Fine

 **Ouma Kokichi** : let me guess

 **Ouma Kokichi** : “you shouldnt have done that ouma babe”

 **Saihara Shuichi** : Almost accurate, the last part was pushing it

 **Saihara Shuichi** : But yes, you shouldn't have done that. Humiliating her in the groupchat.

 **Ouma Kokichi** : She offhandedly outed Hoshi of a deeply personal problem that “humiliation” was a bare minimum

 **Saihara Shuichi** : You still could have called her out differently though? I appreciate your bluntness but even that has a time and place.

 **Ouma Kokichi** : i just couldn't help it at that moment, she was being so stubborn and overbearing

 **Ouma Kokichi** : also i dont think she realizes this but the class treats her like some sort of saint already. weve only known each other for two weeks??

 **Saihara Shuichi** : So basically, you're jealous you're not the center of attention

 **Ouma Kokichi** : you wound me shumai

 **Ouma Kokichi** : anyway, she's self-assured and can stand her ground, which definitely doesn't make her boring

 **Ouma Kokichi** : but her tendency to push forward with her personal justice is going to do more harm than good in the long run

 **Ouma Kokichi** : And I wanted her to realize that

 **Saihara Shuichi** : Huh

 **Saihara Shuichi** : So this is just your twisted way of showing you care

 **Ouma Kokichi** : For a detective you sure do talk shit

 **Saihara Shuichi** : Next time though, you should be lowkey when calling out people

 **Ouma Kokichi** : i am lowkey why do you think i always spoke in a singsong voice while constantly lying out my ass

 **Saihara Shuichi** : And that's why people don't take you seriously.

 **Ouma Kokichi** : Just the way I like it~

 **Saihara Shuichi** : I suppose that's part of your charm. Still, it'd be nice to see you being genuine sometimes.

 **Ouma Kokichi** : ...

 **Ouma Kokichi** : soooooo i should probably apologize to her now huh

 **Saihara Shuichi** : Not right away, but yes, you should

 **Ouma Kokichi** : i'll think about it~~

 **Saihara Shuichi** : mcfrickin

 

–

**Private Messages**

**4:16 PM My Beard** : Pretty sure you need some space rn but dont hesitate to go to me when you're ready to talk okay?

 **4:19 PM Chabashira Tenko** : akamatsu-san, tenko is here when you need someone to talk to

 **4:22 PM FreeshAvocadu** : hey hey wanna talk

 **4:29 PM Shirogane Tsumugi** : um are you doing alright Akamatsu-san?

 **4:33 PM Spaceman** : HEY IM GONNA KICK HIS ASS DONCHU WORRY AKAMATSU

 **4:34 PM Yonaga Angie** : Atua says you need guidance! Angie will be here for you~~

 **4:39 PM Best Boy** : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkISSPvjg6Y

 **4:40 PM Haru-mochi** : akamatsu

 **4:43 PM Iidabashi Keebo** : I am not very good at comforting people but I will try!

 **4:47 PM Iruma Miu** : hey bakamatsu u better not be crying like lil pussy bitch aight! dont let that lil abortion's words get to ya

**4:50 PM Akamatsu Kaede to Hoshi Ryoma**

_**Hoshi Ryoma** is offline_

**Akamatsu Kaede** : Hoshi-kun I'm really sorry about earlier

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : Putting you in that spot wasn't my intention at all

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : I just get carried away sometimes with what I think is good and

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : Ouma-kun was right, I shouldn't

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : I

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : I'm really sorry

_**Hoshi Ryoma** is online_

_**Hoshi Ryoma** is typing..._

_**Akamatsu Kaede** is offline_

Akamatsu gripped her phone tightly for a moment before setting it aside, carelessly placing it on her left side. Sighing heavily, she let herself slightly relax on the bench. Around her, schoolmates were shuffling back to their respective dorms to prepare for the dreaded Monday classes. Soon, she was the only one left at the courtyard. The street lamps light up, indicating nightfall.

For a while, she didn't move an inch from her sprawled position. Her head was tilted upwards, absently staring at the heavens above. The last of the sun's rays dwindle, the sky momentarily a hazy grey before darkness blankets everything in sight. The events from earlier crosses her mind in small fragments, and then all at once. She can almost hear Ouma's snarky delivery despite his reprimand being in text form. She groans at the memory. _Why did I have to be so impulsive and... and..._ Before long, she can feel tears streaming down her face again. She attempts to wipe them off, but it was a vain effort. In her anguish, she fails to notice the approaching footsteps and shudders when she hears a soft call of ' _akamatsu-san_.'

“Ah Tojo-san!” she manages to keep her voice even and audible “You're, um...”

“I presume you might like company, after the events earlier. May I?” Tojo gestures on the empty space beside her on the bench. Akamatsu meekly nods, shuffling awkwardly to her side to give the maid more space to sit on. She immediately forgets she was crying beforehand. Tojo takes a seat, her back straight and hands folded on her lap but her gaze mostly trained on the pianist, who refuses to meet her gaze.

Tojo doesn't say anything for awhile, and the silence between them is palpable and uncomfortable for Akamatsu. Her anxiety levels are already at their peak right now, and this unspoken conversation they are having is making her restless. She wants to say something, anything. _It would be rude to ignore Tojo-san after she goes out to her way to accompany me..._

As if sensing her nerves, Tojo says, “There is no need to discuss anything right away." The softness in Tojo's voice catches her off-guard, as it's not her usual perfunctory delivery. She finally wills herself to look at the maid. Tojo's face lights up the moment they lock eyes; her eyes sparkle as the corners of her lips twitch upward and it takes awhile for Akamatsu to register that Tojo was _smiling_ at her. She inwardly decides that smiling suits Tojo and upon realizing her clearly-not-heterosexual-thoughts, sheepishly smiles back, suppressing a blush. This earns her a wider grin from the maid. _Oh Kami, she's really pretty..._

“I think I feel a bit better now,” Akamatsu says without thinking. She mentally scolds herself not long after, a blush blooming on her cheeks.

Tojo gives her a look; it was hard to read since the maid seemed to always wear an eternal polite but vapid expression. "Akamatsu-san, you do not have to feign feeling better if that is not what you truly feel at the moment.”

Akamatsu inhales. "Yeah... sorry, I know."

Tojo breaks her gaze from Akamatsu to look above them. Luminous specks of light dotted the black canvas of the night sky, although its beauty was obstructed by the reflection of the city's lights. “The sky is beautiful tonight, isn't it?” Tojo asks, voice wistful.

The question surprises Akamatsu. Tojo has always kept a level of professionalism in all her interactions. To initiate such a mundane conversation was very unlike her. _And, the way she spoke..._

The pianist is thoughtful for a moment, her eyes still fixed on the maid. This is a side of Tojo that hardly escapes her mechanical facade, she's actually soft spoken, understanding and so... human. That was when she noticed that Tojo was faintly disheveled and slightly out of breath, despite her maintained proper posture and demeanor. It's like she ran around the school trying to look for her. Understandably so, since the bench she picked was not out in plain sight. She realizes she had been staring when Tojo gives her a perplexed look. She abruptly stands up, “Oh right, it's nighttime and you still have to make dinner. I'm sorry for keeping you! W-we should head back now.”

Tojo slightly frowns at her. “Are you sure?” In response, Akamatsu merely gives her a pained look. Being alone with her crush was a welcome distraction, but her responsibilities to the class should come first. She's someone who they count on and she can't afford time to wallow in her misery.

_No, you're just scared to confront and accept the truth._

“Akamatsu-san, you are someone that is resolute, an anchor for everyone, but it doesn't mean you are not allowed to grieve.”

The dam breaks.

 

–

04/22/18 6:19PM

 **notto disu shitto agen** : yep im going to die of STARVATION

 **notto disu shitto agen** : where's mommy-chan wwwaaaaaahhh im hungrryyyy

 **starlord** : u lil shit where are you im gonna pound you so hard

 **dumb blonde slut** : lmao

 **notto disu shitto agen** : atleast buy me dinner first you plebeian smh

 **starlord** : fuck you, u got guts talkin like nothin happened

 **notto disu shitto agen** : hmmm?? why, what did i miss?

 **starlord** : sonuvabitch

 **dumb blonde slut** : damn this sexual tension is thicc

 **starlord** : iruma what the fuck

 **notto disu shitto agen** : lol but do u think yelling and physically hurting me is gonna fix anything, spaceboy

 **notto disu shitto agen** : nothing's broken in the first place

 **starlord** : y you

 **notto disu shitto agen** : ¯¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

 **chaotic lesbean** : you unapologetic little bastard, TENKO WILL BREAK YOUR LEGS

 **starlord** : yeah!!! thanks for the backup chabs

 **chaotic lesbean** : ew no 1st of all: tenko is doing this for the girls

 **chaotic lesbean** : and 2nd: dont FUCKING call me chabs

 **starlord** : ok ok sorry back to breaking oumas legs

 **notto disu shitto agen** : ruh roh

 **imma meme** : geez ouma do you even feel remorse for what you did

 **ShirogaNYEH** : yeah!! That wasn't very nice of you

 **dumb blonde slut** : bastard prolly gets off with being an ass

 **notto disu shitto agen** : shut up you dumb blonde harlot go find a dick to suck

_**dumb blonde** **slut** went offline_

**notto disu shitto agen** : good riddance, also its not like any of you would defend her lol

 **notto disu shitto agen** : yall act like a framed akamatsu-chan for a murder she didnt commit and got her executed

 **notto disu shitto agen** : besides, i remember u agreein with me four eyes

 **ShirogaNYEH** : ehh?? I didnt

 **ShirogaNYEH** : I support Akamatsu-san I'll have you know!!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : oh?

 **notto disu shitto agen** : didnt take you for being a spineless coward, shirogane-chan~~

 **imma meme** : hey stop that

 **notto disu shitto agen** : no u

 

–

**6:28PM Shuichi Saihara to Ouma Kokichi**

**Shuichi Saihara** : What are you doing??

 **Shuichi Saihara** : WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?

 **Ouma Kokichi** : WHERE ARE YOU DOING THIS lol

_**Ouma Kokichi** muted the conversation_

–

 

 **starlord** : now youre targetting shirogane too

 **starlord** : why do u keep preying on the weak

 **notto disu shitto agen** : weak? are they?

 **Maki Roll** : momota shut up right now

 **starlord** : girls are fragile and emotionally vulnerable

 **starlord** : so stop picking on them!!!

 **chaotic lesbean** : exFUCKINGscuse ME??

 **starlord** : wait chabashira i dont mean

 **imma meme** : ouma we need to talk

 **notto disu shitto again** : stop trying to be relevant amami-chan

 **starlord** : chabashira is that you banging on my door??

 **starlord** : hey your gonna break it!!!!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : *youre

 **chaotic lesbean** : good, tenko will show you whos weak you misogynist

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Everyone please cease this antagonistic behavior!!!

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I have informed Gozu-sensei of this and he will be arriving shortly to pacify the situation

 **notto disu shitto agen** : whatta snitch

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I believe this is the best course of action!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : sure jan

 **notto disu shitto agen** : also sorry for not replying shumai i muted u on private

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Why??

 **notto disu shitto agen** : cmon u can talk to me here

 **notto disu shitto agen** : show them ur not passive

 **notto disu shitto agen** : that youre actually trying to get me to shut up

 **notto disu shitto agen** : but not actually addressing the bigger problem

 **bitch I am the WAY** : excuse meee~~ but Atua told Angie we should just stop this fighting!~

 **bitch I am the WAY** : let us offer our grievances to Atua instead of expressing them~

 **bitch I am the WAY** : that way there is P E A C E~ won't that be wonderful?~

 **notto disu shitto agen** : im confused is this Angie's or Atua's will

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Atua's will, silly~ Angie is merely Atua's mouthpiece~~

 **notto disu shitto agen** : do you always make it a habit to excuse your actions as the will of some god, Angie-chan?~

 **bitch I am the WAY** : oh?~ what kind of question is that Kokichi? Nyahaha~~

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Atua does not appreciate you defaming Angie!~

 **notto disu shitto agen** : sorry Atua-sama, Ouma wont talk shit about Angie-chan again~

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Do not mock how Angie speaks you heathen!!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : smite me, fake prophet

 **Kork** : Disaster after disaster unfolding!

 **Kork** : This has been an excitable display of human antagonism. Marvelous!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : wow what a psychopath someone lock him up before he starts killing people

 **Kork** : I beg your pardon?

 **notto disu shitto agen** : clearly u have questionable interests kork

 **Kork** : Ridiculous, how is my interest in humanity something questionable?

 **notto disu shitto agen** : well...

 **Maki Roll** : all of you in this chat, shut up. right now

 **Maki Roll** : ignore ouma

 **Maki Roll** : cant you see he's just fanning the flames

 **notto disu shitto agen** : lol

 **Maki Roll** : everyone go downstairs, gozu-sensei is meeting us at the lounge

 **notto disu shitto agen** : no thanks

 **notto disu shitto agen** : pretty sure yall gonna kill me once I step out my room

 **starlord** : damn right we will

 **Maki Roll** : momota shut up and go downstairs already

 **starlord** : but chabashira is still outside my door

 **notto disu shitto agen** : lmao so ur scared of her

 **starlord** : says the lil shit that wont go out of his room

 **Maki Roll** : stop acting like children

 **starlord** : ok ok im going but can u pls pacify chabashira first

 **Maki Roll** : done, now get out

 **notto disu shitto agen** : yeet

 **Maki Roll** : you too, ouma

–

 

**6:55PM Ouma Kokichi to Harukawa Maki**

**Ouma Kokichi** : can u be my bodyguard for tonight, pwease

 **Harukawa Maki** : i dont know why you would stir shit like this and not stand by it

 **Ouma Kokichi** : oh i intend to, I dont really care what people think of me now

 **Ouma Kokichi** : I just dont wanna get murdered or smth yknow

 **Ouma Kokichi** : its self preservation

 **Harukawa Maki** : you're afraid of something

 **Ouma Kokichi** : yes im afraid of being murdered by volatile, hormonal teenagers

 **Harukawa Maki** : you're never needlessly careless

 **Harukawa Maki** : everything you do is always calculated ouma

 **Harukawa Maki** : this was your way of exposing the problematic parts of our classmates

 **Harukawa Maki** : but your way of doing it was to appear as a villain

 **Harukawa Maki** : because youre afraid to admit you care

 **Ouma Kokichi** : a plausible theory but 100% false

 **Ouma Kokichi** : now pwease be my escort uwu

 **Harukawa Maki** : fine

 **Ouma Kokichi** : nice

 **Ouma Kokichi** : I could say the same to you yknow

 **Ouma Kokichi** : ur scared to get too attached

 **Harukawa Maki** : i'm outside your room. now get out

 **Ouma Kokichi** : good talk harumaki ;3

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this won't be easily resolved i swear  
> but imma keep the angst light... hopefully its light lol
> 
> kudos and comments are appreciated~!  
> I'm gonna take time replying to them soon


	5. I: The Calm After The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snippets of individual conversations after being reprimanded by their homeroom teacher

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whew this is probably the longest chapter yet! I think
> 
> it was hard making them in-character (with a twist of my headcanons) but was overall fun to write  
> hope this gives yall insight on certain character relationships~
> 
> EDIT 3-13-19: Fixed some dialogue

_04/22/18_

**4:54PM Hoshi Ryoma to Akamatsu Kaede**

**Akamatsu Kaede** : I'm really sorry

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : hey it's cool akamatsu

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : i know you mean well

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : and your heart's in the right place

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : but you gotta be sensible too

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : and i'm sorry for my detachment & cold dismissal earlier

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : people caring for me... is something a bit new to me

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : I guess we both got something to improve on huh

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : Ouma had a point but it was still harsh of him

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : don't let his words get the better of you

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : you're still someone that can keep this class together and I really appreciate that

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : speaking of, it'd be best if you returned to the dorm as soon as you can

_7:12 PM **Akamatsu Kaede** is online_

**Akamatsu Kaede** : Thank you, Hoshi-kun

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : I really needed a wake up call

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : I didn't really realize how much my pushy attitude has been affecting you all

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : So from now on, I'm going to strive to be better!

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : atta girl

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : I won't push for details with what's going on with you but take it easy too, Hoshi-kun. Just remember that we're here for you.

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : Also, Tojo-san and I are heading back there right now. Is there trouble?

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : big trouble. did you backlog the group chat?

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : I haven't yet. I've missed a lot of messages and I don't think I'm in the proper mood to read through memes and vines quotes

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : that's fair. for once, it's not memes and vines quotes tho

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : the short version is ouma stirred up a bigger storm and gozu-sensei is here right now trying to pacify the situation

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : naturally, he's looking for you (and tojo)

 **Akamatsu Kaede** : holy shit okay were almost there

 

–

**9:13PM Shuichi Saihara to Akamatsu Kaede**

**My Beard** : well this sunday was quite eventful

 **Fake sweetheart** : oh tell me about it

 **My Beard** : how are you faring tho

 **My Beard** : and be honest with me

 **Fake sweetheart** : ofc, im always honest with you??

 **My Beard** : not lately, you aren't

 **Fake sweetheart** : fine fine i've been faking it

 **Fake sweetheart** : the last two weeks have been hell

 **Fake sweetheart** : and being chosen as class rep was the cherry on top

 **Fake sweetheart** : idk what these ppl see in me shu, im just a pianist

 **My Beard** : I thought I was the one with confidence issues

 **Fake sweetheart** : dont invalidate my inner struggles ;w;

 **My Beard** : i'm not!! sorry I was just being sassy

 **My Beard** : I realize now that it sounded more dismissive than sassy

 **My Beard** : but what brought this on, kaecchan? ouma's snark?

 **Fake sweetheart** : partly

 **Fake sweetheart** : ive always been dismissive of ouma

 **Fake sweetheart** : coz I always believed he was just an attention-seeker

 **My Beard** : he is

 **Fake sweetheart** : yes, and you're absolutely charmed by that

 **My Beard** : hush

 **Fake sweetheart** : anyway, he made me realize stuff

 **Fake sweetheart** : my self-confidence has always been rooted to others' belief in me

 **Fake sweetheart** : but I always knew I had nothing to show for it

 **Fake sweetheart** : ah im being silly arent I

 **My Beard** : hey hey its ok, can I come over? I think this would be better talked about in person

 **Fake sweetheart** : youre always welcome to my room, if you can get passed chabashira-san that is lol

 **My Beard** : pffft piece of cake, i'll bring you some cookies

 **Fake sweetheart** : thanks shu, if you werent so gay i'd kiss you <3

 **My Beard** : and if you werent a cis girl, i'd kiss you back <33

 

–

**9:20PM Amami Rantaro to Shirogane Tsumugi**

**Survivor** : here come dat boi

 **Mastermind** : o shit whaddup

 **Survivor** : lmaooo

 **Mastermind** : okay now thats out of the way.......

 **Survivor** : *record scratch*

 **Survivor** : *freeze frame*

 **Survivor** : you're probably wondering why i'm here right now

 **Mastermind** : stop communicating with me using dead memes

 **Survivor** : cmon im just trying to get you to smile

 **Survivor** : pls say youre smiling

 **Mastermind** : youre relevant and valid, taro

 **Mastermind** : I know ur affected by your side hoe's words

 **Survivor** : so were u

 **Mastermind** : well he wasnt wrong

 **Mastermind** : im a coward

 **Mastermind** : I dunno how to stand my ground

 **Mastermind** : I play for both sides because I dont want to displease anyone

 **Survivor** : oh mugi....

 **Survivor** : I guess the little gremlin was onto something

 **Survivor** : I never really about this before

 **Survivor** : this urge of mine to be “valid”

 **Survivor** : we always shit on ouma for being an attention whore

 **Survivor** : when I was one myself

 **Mastermind** : thats not an entirely awful thing tho

 **Mastermind** : besides, youre not disruptive

 **Survivor** : and youre not a coward

 **Survivor** : youre a... people pleaser?

 **Mastermind** : somehow thats making me feel worse

 **Survivor** : sorry sorry irdk what im trying to say

 **Survivor** : hmm, maybe youre scared of how people perceive you?

 **Mastermind** : I guess so

 **Mastermind** : like, sometimes I try to act plain so I dont get attention but even then I would stand out because of my eccentricities

 **Mastermind** : and those eccentricities have warranted judgmental remarks from people

 **Mastermind** : I know I can get a little crazy when im fawning over a fandom or something

 **Mastermind** : but some people just see me as only that, a crazed fanatic

 **Mastermind** : which is why I try to act according to how I think people would want me to be

 **Survivor** : oh man mugi, we should really talk about this personally

 **Mastermind** : yeah, that would be great, taro

 **Survivor** : let's talk about it over some icecream tomorrow

 **Mastermind** : yeeeesssss ily

 

\--

**9:21PM Harukawa Maki to Momota Kaito**

**Harumaki** : momota, how are you holding up

 **Spaceidiot** : heyyy harumaki!! mfine

 **Spaceidiot** : getting neo aikido'd to the face wasnt a pleasant experience

 **Spaceidiot** : but im taking it like a man!!!

 **Harumaki** : you're hopeless

 **Spaceidiot** : hhuh?

 **Harumaki** : idiot, just get some rest

 

–

**9:25PM Iidabashi Keebo to Iruma Miu**

**Mr Robot** : Iruma-san, is everything alright?

 **Gorgeous** : yea kibs im alright

 **Mr Robot** : That is unconvincing.

 **Gorgeous** : eh, tough crowd

 **Mr Robot** : It is alright to talk about feelings, Iruma-san.

 **Gorgeous** : you say it like its so simple

 **Mr Robot** : I am aware that is not! For me at least. I lived a sheltered life, and interacting with peers of our age group has been difficult without prior experience.

 **Mr Robot** : Honestly, I do not know how to proceed with this nor do I believe I would be of help, but I shall try to the best of my ability.

 **Gorgeous** : thanks kibs

 **Mr Robot** : I have not done anything remotely useful yet!

 **Gorgeous** : the fact ur taking time to talk to me is nice

 **Mr Robot** : Has no one attempted to talk you about earlier other than myself?

 **Gorgeous** : bakamatsu and chabs talked to me a bit

 **Gorgeous** : but I know they did it out of responsibility and not coz they care

 **Mr Robot** : That is untrue! They care about you and so do our other classmates.

 **Mr Robot** : You are quite difficult to talk to sometimes, Iruma-san. Perhaps that is why many refrain from talking to you directly.

 **Gorgeous** : yea they know how undeserving they are of my presence

 **Mr Robot** : Iruma-san...

 **Gorgeous** : okok i'll be real for a moment

 **Gorgeous** : yea its sad I dont have a lot of people talk to me

 **Gorgeous** : but I hate it more when people just talk to me for my talent, ya get me

 **Gorgeous** : if I had a pleasing personality, peeps are just gonna line up and get me to invent knickknacks and shit

 **Mr Robot** : But you would charge them money for your services...

 **Gorgeous** : hell yeah I would, but thats the thing, i'll be woking myself to the bone

 **Gorgeous** : inventing wont be fulfilling for me

 **Gorgeous** : 'sides, I wanna invent shit to make the world a better place

 **Mr Robot** : Will “V.O.R.E machine” make the world a better place?

 **Gorgeous** : uuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhh

 **Mr Robot:** I think, you should lessen being difficult. I am sure some people genuinely want to be friends with you but you scare them away.

 **Mr Robot** : I know you want to have friends too.

 **Gorgeous** : i... ok fine. i do. Im a difficult person coz i am. and idk how to make friends being like that

 **Mr Robot** : If it is any consolation, I do not know how to properly make friends too!

 **Mr Robot** : We can learn together!

 **Gorgeous** : if I didnt know any better, id say ur hitting on me kibs haha

 **Gorgeous** : and yea, id like that

 

–

**9:31PM Gokuhara Gonta to Shinguji Korekiyo**

**Gokuhara Gonta** : Good evening, Shinguji-kun!

 **Shinguji Korekiyo** : Good evening to you as well, Gonta-kun.

 **Gokuhara Gonta** : Gonta just wants to check up on you!

 **Shinguji Korekiyo** : That is much appreciated, thank you.

 **Gokuhara Gonta** : Gonta is everyone's favorite but you don't seem like anyone's favorite...

 **Gokuhara Gonta** : Gonta, being a good gentleman, wants to make sure you don't feel left out!

 **Shinguji Korekiyo** : …

 **Shinguji Korekiyo** : That was beautiful.

 **Shinguji Korekiyo** : You are a very good boy, Gonta-kun.

 **Shinguji Korekiyo** : Indeed, I am noone's favorite. That much is apparent. So thank you very much for your concern. Truly, that's something hard to come by for someone like me.

 **Gokuhara Gonta** : You are one of Gonta's favorites now!

 **Gokuhara Gonta** : You know many stories of folklore, and Gonta likes to listen and learn!

 **Shinguji Korekiyo** : I see you are a man of culture as well

 **Shinguji Korekiyo** : Then it's decided! Would you like to listen to more stories, Gonta-kun? We could have a discussion over tea, or any beverage you prefer.

 **Gokuhara Gonta** : yas kween

 

\--

**9:37PM Harukawa Maki to Akamatsu Kaede**

4:40PM **Haru-mochi** : akamatsu

9:37PM **Aka-matcha** : Sorry for the late reply! What's up Harukawa-san?

 **Haru-mochi** : I told you to remove these nicknames

 **Aka-matcha** : Awww, but they're cute

 **Aka-matcha** : Also, I'm feeling better now, don't worry

 **Aka-matcha** : I know this is just your constipated way of checking up on me

 **Haru-mochi** : shut up

 

–

**9:40PM The Holy Trinity**

**The Daughter** : tenkooooo were u trying to get urself xpelled

 **The Holy Spirit** : of course not yumeno-chan!!

 **The Mother** : then Angie wonders why you smacked Kaito-san upside the head in front of Gozu-sensei~~

 **The Holy Spirit** : he was being a menace

 **The Holy Spirit** : more than usual

 **The Daughter** : still..... I dont think u should have done that

 **The Daughter** : u really need to control ur anger....... its scary

 **The Holy Spirit** : i'm sorry yumeno-chan! I don't mean to terrify you

 **The Mother** : which reminds Angie, hmm~ why does tenko dislike the boys (except gonta-chan)~

 **The Mother** : is it an unfounded hatred or?~

 **The Holy Spirit** : uh, that's a story for another time

 **The Holy Spirit** : good night girls!!

_**The Holy Spirit** is offline_

 

\--

**9:53PM Akamatsu Kaede to Ouma Kokichi**

**Piano idiot** : Ouma-kun, are you busy? Can we talk?

 **Ouma Kokichi** : hell yeah im always busy akamatsu-chan! world domination requires a lot of planning!

 **Piano idiot** : Please stop making this difficult.

 **Ouma Kokichi** : fiiiiiine, i'll humor you (again)

 **Ouma Kokichi** : it's bad enough that I had to apologize to you in front of the class already yeesh

 **Piano idiot** : Why do you antagonize me so much??

 **Ouma Kokichi** : so straightforward as always! youre definitely not boring, do you know that akamatsu-chan?

 **Piano idiot** : Please answer the question

 **Ouma Kokichi** : I dont hate you but I also dont like you, does that make sense?

 **Piano idiot** : Hardly

 **Ouma Kokichi** : in fact, I dont like anyone in this class, is that fair enough?

 **Piano idiot** : Why do you act like this, acting like we're beneath you?

 **Ouma Kokichi** : I'm the Ultimate Supreme Leader, duh

 **Ouma Kokichi** : it's an occupational hazard

 **Piano idiot** : You can't really think that

 **Ouma Kokichi** : oho I can~~ youre acting naïve again akamatsu-chan~

 **Ouma Kokichi** : not everyone has a redeemable quality, some arent as goody goody as u yknow

 **Piano idiot** : and yet, you called me out for my insensitive remark on hoshi-kun. You were looking out for him no matter what you say. And you were trying to make me realize my flaws.

 **Piano idiot** : you're not entirely irredeemable

 **Ouma Kokichi** : I dont understand you, why do you always try to find the good in people hmm? What if theres simply nothing there?

 **Piano idiot** : You keep deflecting people's care and concern towards you, why is that?

 **Ouma Kokichi** : so are we playing 20 questions now? Fine

 **Ouma Kokichi** : what's your bra size~~

 **Piano idiot** : sometimes I wonder what shuichi-kun sees in you

 **Ouma Kokichi** : wwat

 **Piano idiot** changed **Ouma Kokichi** to **useless gay**

 

–

**10:15PM Akamatsu Kaede to Tojo Kirumi**

**Kaicho wa** : Tojo-san! I hope I'm not disturbing you

 **Maid-sama** : Not at all. How can I be of service to you?

 **Kaicho wa** : You don't have to act like a maid all the time!

 **Kaicho wa** : And I don't think I've properly thanked you for your time. So, thank you very much! I'm glad you were there with me earlier.

 **Maid-sama** : You are most welcomed. I am glad to be of service, too.

 **Maid-sama** : It is my duty as a maid to make sure all of you are well taken care of.

 **Kaicho wa** : Right, of course.

 **Maid-sama** : Have a pleasant evening, Akamatsu-san.

 

–

**10:23PM Hoshi Ryoma to Tojo Kirumi**

7:25PM **Hoshi Ryoma** : [waggles eyebrows] so, you were alone with the pianist earlier

10:23PM **Tojo Kirumi** : Don't be ridiculous, you don't have eyebrows

 **Tojo Kirumi** : and yes... I was. Only to comfort her.

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : of course, I never doubted you for a second

 **Tojo Kirumi** : oh my god hoshi

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : you've got it bad yknow

 **Tojo Kirumi** : No?? I don't like her like that

 **Tojo Kirumi** : That would be unprofessional of me

 **Tojo Kirumi** : Akamatsu-san is an interesting person and I'd love to help her achieve her full potential

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : tojo that's gay

 **Tojo Kirumi** : Dont read too much into it!!

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : hm

 **Tojo Kirumi** : ...you know why I shouldn't

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : I dont, actually. Didnt know maids had such a strict creed

 **Tojo Kirumi** : I should only be in service to others, never to myself

 **Hoshi Ryoma** : listen, maybe you should stop taking your ultimate talent too seriously. and that's my ted talk

 **Tojo Kirumi** : you are a bad influence

 

–

**10:30PM Saihara Shuichi to Ouma Kokichi**

**Saihara Shuichi** : Hey

 **Ouma Kokichi** : Hey yourself ;)

 **Saihara Shuichi** : You really outdid yourself today

 **Ouma Kokichi** : nah, that wasnt even my final form yet

 **Saihara Shuichi** : Ouma-kun, there's really no need to deny you're a good person deep down.

 **Ouma Kokichi** : “deep down”

 **Ouma Kokichi** : that's just another way of saying “I'm totally in denial of you being a complete asshole so I'll hold on to that sliver of hope that you are a virtuous person based on my (stupid) unshakable belief that everyone has good in them even if all evidence points to none”

 **Ouma Kokichi** : why do you bother, you and akamatsu-chan

 **Ouma Kokichi** : seriously

 **Saihara Shuichi:** We can't help you if you keep refusing help Ouma-kun!

 **Ouma Kokichi** : i dont need help? why are you like this

 **Saihara Shuichi** : because

 **Saihara Shuichi** : I'm your friend!

 **Saihara Shuichi** : [Insert we are fighting dreamers soundtrack]

 **Ouma Kokichi** : adsj;dajojskas

 **Saihara Shuichi** : or at least, I want to be your friend

 **Saihara Shuichi** : If you'd let me.

 **Ouma Kokichi** : doesnt sound exciting

 **Ouma Kokichi** : but ok :D

 

–

**10:34PM HOPE'S PEAK FACULTY GC**

**Chisa Pizza** : wow! And I was starting to think class 79 were functional but I Guess Not™

 **Sucker Punch** : your kids are crazy, you know that Gozu

 **Chisa Pizza** : not as crazy as mine (when they were freshmen)

 **Reverse Matador** : yet

 **Jin:** Kizakura, where do you keep finding these crazy kids

 **Will Die Of Alcohol Poisoning** : idk its like they just. gravitate towards HPA

 **Jin** : You mean they gravitate toward YOU. You're the scout.

 **Will Die Of Alcohol Poisoning** : And you're an idiot for assigning someone hardly sober as a scout for such a prestigious and fiiiine institution.

 **Ultimate Fossil** : Honestly Kirigiri, change that lame ass nickname

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and that ends the disaster arc lol
> 
> go easy on ouma guys xD he's a good boi  
> he's just... heavily in denial
> 
> \--  
> nickname guide (HPA Faculty GC):
> 
> Chisa Pizza: yukizome  
> Sucker Punch: sakakura  
> Jin: kirigiri  
> Reverse Matador: Great Gozu  
> Will Die Of Alcohol Poisoning: kizakura  
> Ultimate Fossil: tengan


	6. I: The Elephant in the Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **imma meme** : akamatsu-san u know ily
> 
>  **imma meme** : tell u what, next time I give you a manicure it'll be for free
> 
>  **Treblemaker** : Yaaaas! Ok youre forgiven ily2
> 
>  **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I'm glad discourse only lasts .02 secs and its just mostly friendly banter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they're fine
> 
> nickname guide:
> 
> notto disu shitto agen: Ouma  
> The Only Hope For Me Is You: Saihara  
> Treblemaker: Akamatsu  
> bitch I am the WAY: Yonaga  
> starlord: Momota  
> ShirogaNYEH/ShirogaNYA: Shirogane  
> Mother Knows Best: Tojo  
> imma meme: Amami  
> Maki Roll: Harukawa  
> Do You Believe In Magic: Yumeno  
> chaotic lesbean: Chabashira  
> Kork: Shinguji  
> Robot Rights Activist: Idabashi  
> dumb blonde slut: Iruma  
> Good Noodle: Gokuhara  
> quail egg: Hoshi  
> \--
> 
> Sucker Punch: sakakura  
> Chisa Pizza: yukizome  
> Frosty the Swordsman: munakata  
> Will Die Of Alcohol Poisoning: kizakura  
> Jin: kirigiri  
> Ultimate Fossil: tengan  
> Farmville: bandai  
> Reverse Matador: great gozu

**04/23/2018 HOPE'S PEAK FACULTY GC**

_8:19PM_

**Sucker Punch** : so

 **Sucker Punch** : your punishment for them was letting them get a day off

 **Sucker Punch** : how tf is that punishment

 **Chisa Pizza** : you forgot to mention that they're also under house arrest (dorm arrest??)

 **Chisa Pizza** : meaning they're all stuck together along with all the hostility

 **Reverse Matador** : Which they will resolve!

 **Farmville** : Sakakura's just salty he didn't have a class with them today

 **Farmville** : I know he was so excited to give them a hard time to get back on them for mass naruto running that one time

 **Sucker Punch** : i

 **Reverse Matador** : They need to sort out whatever the hell's going on between them as a class, and they'll pull through

 **Frosty the Swordsman** : Your belief in them is uncanny.

 **Ultimate Fossil** : always so skeptical about Hope(tm) aren't you

 **Chisa Pizza** : hey since theyre all basically stuck with each other in a closed space with no hope of getting out

 **Reverse Matador** : they aren't in a lockdown, yukizome

 **Chisa Pizza** : we should offer them with a chance to get out, all they gotta do is kill one of their classmates without getting caught

 **Chisa Pizza** : but there will be a trial after a kill, and the rest of the class must find the culprit lest they all want to perish and the culprit walks a free wo/man

 **Reverse Matador** : concern

 **Frosty the Swordsman** : Chisa are you okay?

 **Chisa Pizza** : my homeroom class is 77B, you think im still sane from dealing with them for 3 years now

 **Frosty the Snowman** : That's fair.

 **Ultimate Fossil** : also kirigiri, I hope u dont mind me asking

 **Ultimate Fossil** : why did you order 10 boxes of muzzles

 **Will Die Of Alcohol Poisoning** : damn, openly calling out jin for his kinks lmao

 **Jin** : It's for the students

 **Jin** : clearly they need to be tamed

 **Reverse Matador** : concern x2

 

–

_04/24/2018 4:20AM_

**notto disu shitto agen** : **@everyone**

 **starlord** : the fuck you want

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Ouma-kun it is Four In The Morning

 **ShirogaNYEH** : ???

 **notto disu shitto agen** : B L A Z E I T

 **starlord** : motherfucker

 **imma meme** : Did you mean: **@Treblemaker**

 **starlord** : huh?

 **notto disu shitto agen** : jndjsjajffesjnsajk

 **chaotic lesbean** : WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN YOU GREEN HAIRED PUNK

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Kaede-san wouldn't appreciate you calling her that, Amami-kun >:c

 **ShirogaNYEH** : >:c is an emoticon of serious dread

 **Kork** : Can confirm.

 **imma meme** : hey I dont mean it like that!! :(

 **chaotic lesbean** : IM GOING TO BREAK YOUR LEGS

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : tenkoooo we talked about this

 **chaotic lesbean** : ˢᵒʳʳʸ

 **bitch I am the WAY** : whipped

 **notto disu shitto again** : woah yall really woke up from me @ everyone

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I have insomnia

 **Kork** : I usually wake up at ungodly early hours as I go to sleep quite early.

 **bitch I am the WAY** : same~ but Angie calls them 'godly' hours~~

 **ShirogaNYEH** : i was watching anime and didnt realize how late it was

 **imma meme** : *early

 **chaotic lesbean** : I sensed that a degenerate was being disrespectful and I was right

 **imma meme** : i really didnt mean it like an insult, rly!!

 **starlord** : was so engrossed in a game

 **starlord** : not coz u pinged, dont feel special

 **notto disu shitto agen** : wow such hostility

 **notto disu shitto agen** : dont be a dick it doesnt suit you momota-chan

 **starlord** : im only a dick to you

 **notto disu shitto agen** : yes id like to suck it

 **chaotic lesbean** : stop rIGHT THERE

 **Kork** : It is still quite early for discourse.

 **Kork** : Also, do you all realize some of you clearly have bad sleeping habits.

 **Kork** : And that should not be.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : i didnt think shinguji-chan would have a “dad” in him

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Yknow, using -chan on him doesn't really suit him

 **imma meme** : clearly we needed a father figure since we already have two moms

 **notto disu shitto agen** : so is shinguji-chan our daddy now?

 **Kork** : Please refrain from calling me “daddy”

 **notto disu shitto agen** : sure, papa

 **Mother Knows Best** : Seeing as most of you are already awake, I would like to use this opportunity to take any particular breakfast request, if any.

 **chaotic lesbean** : good morning tojo-san!!

 **imma meme** : whats the default breakfast today mom?

 **Mother Knows Best** : Good morning to you as well, Chabashira-san. The breakfast for today consists of: Grilled salmon, Miso soup, Steamed Rice and Pickled Vegetables.

 **imma meme** : ooooohhh traditional japanese breakfast!! im good with that mom

 **chaotic lesbean** : no complaints here too, ahhh tenko can't wait!

 **Kork** : Yes, I find that a satisfactory meal already.

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : That makes me not want to skip breakfast.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : dont skip breakfast, shumai! especially since mom's cooking is always bomb

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I try

 **Mother Knows Best** : It would be ideal that you don't skip breakfast as much as possible, Saihara-san, not because of my cooking but because it is the most important meal of the day, essential for getting through the boring morning lessons. And if you would like, I can deliver breakfast to your room.

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : (´;ω;｀)

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Thanks mom, will do!

 **Mother Knows Best** : Any particular requests before I take my leave

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Angie would like some special sauce!~

 **Mother Knows Best** : Would it be the usual, Yonaga-san?

 **bitch I am the WAY** : yes please~ thank you, mother!!~~

 **imma meme** : wait what is that special sauce if you dont mind me asking

 **Mother Knows Best** : It is merely ketchup mixed with the blood of her enemies.

 **starlord** : wtf

 **imma meme** : um

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Angie likes it raw but Mother insists it should be diluted with ketchup!~

 **Kork** : That is... quite concerning.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : mom mom mom

 **Mother Knows Best** : Yes, gremlin child?

 **ShirogaNYEH** : dsjasskkaskdsnjsd

 **imma meme** : HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAH MOM OMG

 **notto disu shitto agen** : i'd like to request a

 **notto disu shitto agen** : Boneless Pizza

 **Mother Knows Best** : *Bizza

 **ShirogaNYEH** : sjojhfakaojnfjoafdfadkavfojvfkvk

 **starlord** : MOM'S MEMEING WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME SOMEDAY

 **starlord** : IF PNEUMONIA DOESNT KILL ME FIRST

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : um why does that last one feel too real

 **Maki Roll** : ffs momota

 **starlord** : dudes!! i was kiddiiinnngggg

 **notto disu shitto agen** : lol harukawa-chan stops being a lurker just to show her concern

 **Maki Roll** : delete your account

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Wait, Pizza usually does not contain bones, does it?

 **starlord** : oh u pure boy

 **imma meme** : (tm)

 **notto disu shitto agen** : ofc it does kibs!! thats why u gotta specify if u dont want it to have bones

 **notto disu shitto agen** : I bet you already ate a lot of pizza bones since ur unaware of this

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I do not get to eat pizza often so I can not say.

 **imma meme** : aw when was the last time you had pizza?

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Probably when I was seven years old.

 **starlord** : aw kibs :(

 **notto disu shitto agen** : …

 **notto disu shitto agen** : even i cant make fun of that

 **notto disu shitto agen** : alright!! it was supposed to be a joke but

 **notto disu shitto agen** : lets have breakfast pizza!!

 **imma meme** : YEET

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Ah, I do not want to have Tojo-san go through all the trouble preparing another dish.

 **Mother Knows Best** : I assure you it is no trouble at all, Iidabashi-san. I would like to remedy those years you were deprived of pizza.

 **Robot Rights Activist** : But

 **notto disu shitto agen** : mom wants to make you pizza, so let heeeer

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Alright then, thank you!

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Will it be boneless?

 **starlord** : f

 **ShirogaNYEH** : Ouma-kun was just referencing an unfunny meme, dont take it too seriously, Iidabashi-kun

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Oh.

 

–

 **Treblemaker** : okay what the heck amami-kun why'd you call me a motherfucker huh

 **Treblemaker** : you wanna have a go, avocado twink

 **Treblemaker** : meet me at denny's parking lot at 3am bitch

 **starlord** : DAAAAAAAAAMN

 **quail egg** : never thought you had it in you akamatsu

 **imma meme** : h

 **chaotic lesbean** : akamatsu-san??

 **dumb blonde slut** : wow

 **Treblemaker** : Oh my God, I'm sorry! This was supposed to be in private jsakjhdadjla

 **notto disu shitto agen** : lmao exposed

 **ShirogaNYEH** : yall let me keep getting brain aneurysms from all these OOC-ness

 **notto disu shitto agen** : cut us some slack shirogane-chan, we only know each other for two weeks

 **notto disu shitto agen** : clearly we all have hidden repressed sides

 **ShirogaNYEH** : yes you've already proven that

 **ShirogaNYEH** : but what I meant was ya'll are kind of OOC from the game? Like, still in character but not so one dimensional, you feel me

 **starlord** : no?? and what game???

 **Maki Roll** : that strange behavior from shirogane has surfaced again

 **starlord** : yeah like whats the deal, can we talk about that too

 **ShirogaNYEH** : well it has been a few chapters since i broke the 4th wall....

 **starlord** : whats going on with you shiroganya

 **imma meme** : shiroganya

 **ShirogaNYEH** : shiroganya

 **Treblemaker** : shiroganya

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : shiroganya

 **notto disu shitto agen** : shiroganya

 **quail egg** : shiroganya

 **Good Noodle** : shiroganya

 **dumb blonde slut** : shiroganya

 **bitch I am the WAY** : shiroganya

 **Kork** : shiroganya

 **chaotic lesbean** : shiroganya

 **Mother Knows Best** : shiroganya

 **Robot Rights Activist** : shiroganya

 **Do You Believe In Magic** changed **ShirogaNYEH** to **ShirogaNYA**

 **starlord** : I cant believe allya went online just to make fun of me

 **Maki Roll** : shiroganya

 **starlord** : not you too harumaki

 **starlord** : i didnt even mean to do that typo?? like 'e' is so far from 'ya'

 **starlord** : and I know I fuck up a lot

 **Maki Roll** : that is true

 **starlord** : but never that BAD!! its like some force tries to stop me from figuring out what the hell's going on with shiroganya

 **starlord** : **shiroganya

 **starlord** : what the

 **ShirogaNYA** : I guess the third time isn't a charm :(

 **Maki Roll** : hm

 **notto disu shitto agen** : once is a mistake, twice is a habit, thrice is stupidity

 **Treblemaker** : That's not how the saying goes, there's a mistake there somewhere

 **notto disu shitto agen** : yes its on the phrase “one is a mistake” thank you for finding it akamatsu-chan

 **Treblemaker** : the mistake is actually “notto disu shitto agen:” but go off I guess

 **dumb blonde slut** : OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : hello 911 i'd like to report a MURDER

 **Mother Knows Best** : I shall help you hide the body.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : ,

 **Kork** : Might I remind everyone that we're not supposed to text in class.

 **dumb blonde slut** : oh shit daddy's here to spank us for being bad

 **Kork** : Let me reiterate, do not call me "daddy" or i will murder you with a seesaw.

 **dumb blonde slut** : eep ok

 **imma meme** : but daaaaaad, you just did it too

 **imma meme** : lol its funny tho coz it was one of akamatsu-san's rules but she was the one who started this all

 **Treblemaker** : I repeat, meet me at Denny's parking lot at 3am

 **Treblemaker** : I WON'T HESITATE TO CUT A BITCH

 **Treblemaker** : but yeah, we should stop texting now

 **Treblemaker** : everyone drop this for now, please

–

 

 **imma meme** : akamatsu-san u know ily

 **imma meme** : tell u what, next time I give you a manicure it'll be for free

 **Treblemaker** : Yaaaas! Ok youre forgiven ily2

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I'm glad discourse only lasts .02 secs and its just mostly friendly banter

 **imma meme** : can we not keep referencing That Day

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I'm not??

 **quail egg** : we dont have to keep walking on egg shells about it tho

 **quail egg** : it only happened 2 days ago after all

 **ShirogaNYA** : real talk though, I'm happy we all somewhat resolved it?

 **ShirogaNYA** : the tension was suffocating during breakfast yesterday

 **Kork** : It is pleasing that we were able to have a civil discussion about it.

 **Good Noodle** : Gonta liked it when friends talked about their feelings!!

 **Treblemaker** : Yeah, and now we're all more understanding towards each other after that

 **Maki Roll:** it is nice

 **notto disu shitto agen** : all thanks to meeeee

 **starlord** : dont push it

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : but lets be real, ouma-kun is right

 **Robot Rights Activist** : That statement normally does not compute, but this moment is an exception.

 **dumb blonde slut** : are we actually going to thank the tiny abortion

 **notto disu shitto agen** : YEAH BOW DOWN TO THE SUPREME LEADER

 **imma meme** : I dont wanna be mushy on chat but

 **imma meme** : thanks for being a dick ouma-kun

 **imma meme** : youre actually pretty soft

 **notto disu shitto again** : awww thanks boo

 **dumb blonde slut** : hes basically an unerect penis

 **chaotic lesbean** : ok thats the best thanks hes getting

 **chaotic lesbean** : can we stop talking about man junk

 **chaotic lesbean** : as a lesbian, that is inconveniencing me

 **chaotic lesbean** : and thats homophobia

 **dumb blonde slut** : big mood

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : oh worm

 **imma meme** : is there anyone here who isnt meme trash

 **notto disu shitto agen** : probably just kibs

 **notto disu shitto agen** : he's kinda like an irl robot AI

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I will have you know, I am capable of relating with internet popular culture too!!

 **notto disu shitto again** : maybe start by calling them “memes”

 **imma meme** : I can help you with that kibs!! Im the meme master after all ;)

 **Robot Rights Activist** : That would be gnarly, Amami-kun!

 **starlord** : h

 **imma meme** : this is worse than I thought

 **imma meme** : we need to start lessons immediately

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ShirogaNYA: everything was resolved off-screen :)
> 
> starlord: im on to u shiroganya
> 
> ShirogaNYA: no one will ever believe you >:3
> 
> ShirogaNYA: also comments and kudos are much appreciated!!
> 
> starlord: comments? kudos?? what are kudos????


	7. I.5: OwO What's This?? Class 77B and 78A Are Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Jin** : I can't believe even my staff are barely functioning adults.
> 
>  **Farmville** : wwwwhhaaat??
> 
>  **Farmville** : afterr all the HONEST HARDWORK ive ddone for this shit school 
> 
> **Reverse Matador** : sshhh bandai, you're valid
> 
>  **Ultimate Fossil** : kirigiri is just an awful man
> 
>  **Jin** : I hate this family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** Hinata Hajime is fused with Izuru Kamukura here, earning him a place within 77B (I just dont see a believable way for him to be constantly involved with the Main Course ppl if he remained a Reserve course student in a non-Despair setup)  
> ** Mitarai Ryota on the other hand is with 77A  
> ** Enoshima Junko isnt the Despair Queen or whatever, shes just a fashionista with her own line of clothing and merch (Monokuma designs ofc) and she wrote a screenplay once  
> ** Ikusaba Mukuro, like her sister, is going to be OOC-- mostly because I dislike how DR3 portrayed her to be the submissive masochist lil sister to Enoshima. Somewhat her IF version but more in touch with her emotions  
> ** 77B and 78(A) are first name basis coz theyre basically family with each other by this time dont @ me
> 
> hmmm thats all for now
> 
> thanks for the continued support!!

**04/24/2018 HOPE'S PEAK FACULTY GC**

_7:26PM_

**Reverse Matador** : Munakata, Sakakura and Yukizome... pay up

 **Frosty the Swordsman** : ...

 **Chisa Pizza** : gdi

 **Sucker Punch** : ugh

 **Ultimate Fossil** : remember we're splitting the pot

 **Farmville** : You guys made bets?

 **Ultimate Fossil** : yep, we bet on how long it will take 79A to resolve The Sunday Massacre

 **Reverse Matador** : knew it would only take them a day

 **Reverse Matador** : Akamatsu is good at rallying people together

 **Reverse Matador** : tho surprisingly it was actually Saihara who gathered them together for a talk sometime yesterday, thats what Gokuhara told me anyway

 **Ultimate Fossil** : and that boy is too pure to lie

 **Chisa Pizza** : saihara-kun does have potential! he just needs to learn to come out of his shell

 **Chisa Pizza** : he could totally take over akamatsu-chan's role in case she tragically dies

 **Reverse Matador** : ,

 **Frosty the Swordsman** : Oh, God.

 **Sucker Punch** : ffs yukizome

 **Chisa Pizza** : i cant believe im still not first name basis with u juzo, u wound me

 **Chisa Pizza** : i aint stealin your mans no more

 **Frosty the Swordsman** : Please stop teasing him, he is very red right now.

 **Chisa Pizza** : ლ(｀∀´ლ)

 

–

**04/24/2018 Would Rather Be Stuck In An Island**

_7:40PM_

**Screw You** : yooooo didja guys hear about The Sunday Massacre

 **I Need Healing** : ddo you mean The Class 79 Debate Scrum?

 **Trash(tm)** : no, no! It's actually called The Fall and Rise of Class 79!

 **Trash(tm)** : such an interesting batch deserves a more hopeful tone

 **Screw You** : nuh uh “The Sunday Massacre” sounds cooler

 **I Need Healing** : bbut nobody actually died?

 **Bokeh** : I for one think The Class 79 Debate Scrum is a better event title? It's less formal the The Fall and Rise of Class 79.

 **Trash(tm)** : but Mahiru-san! please understand that The Fall and Rise of Class 79 better encapsulates the breathtaking discourse of said class

 **Trash(tm)** : and how they used their hope and belief between each other to emerge victorious against despair!!

 **baby gangsta** : godfucking dammit youre all talking about the same damn thing

 **baby gangsta** : **@True Protagonist** is ur boyfriend high again, tame him

 **True Protagonist** : he is, as a matter of fact

 **True Protagonist** : sorry, i'll take his phone away now

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : hey fuyuhiko do you wanna be class rep this year, I think youre gonna do better than me

 **Valid Gamer Gril:** idk why you guys keep picking me since 1st yr

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : smh

 **The Princess Is In Another Castle** : game night, among other things

 **IM PUNK ROCK** : MARIO KART AND SMASH BROS WOOOOO

 **Hash Slinging Slasher** : And I don't think Fuyu has the patience for that.

 **baby gangsta** : yeah, and youve been doing well as class rep any way!!

 **One For All** : YEAH!!! YOU JUST NEED TO WORK ON BEING LESS LETHARGIC ABOUT IT

 **True Protagonist** : chiaki is constantly lethargic tho

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : hes rite

 **Screw You** : k so back to The Sunday Massacre??

 **Bokeh** : The Class 79 Scrum Debate!!!

 **Hash Slinging Slasher** : I just heard Nagito scream “The Fall and Rise of Class 79”

 **baby gangsta** : can you all just call it class 79 discourse, fuck

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : hey fuyuhiko idk if youve noticed but you kind of sound like ouma-kun

 **Heir to the Throne** : Please don't start with THAT again.

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : and kazuichi sounds like momota-kun!!

 **Heir to the Throne** : Might as well add how Akamatsu and Kyoko sound alike

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : yes!! exactlyyyy

 **baby gangsta** : ...is chiaki high too

 **True Protagonist** : uh no, she just gets very excited when she notices stuff like that

 **Heir to the Throne** : Just like when she noticed Makoto and Nagito sound alike.

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : good times

 **Screw You** : so uh

 **Screw You** : can we go back to

 **baby gangsta** : the class 79 discourse, yeah

 **The Princess Is In Another Castle** : what about it?

 **Screw You** : idk it just felt like a good topic

 **True Protagonist** : thats not... an appropriate topic to have

 **True Protagonist** : you're being intrusive on a personal thing between them as a class

 **True Protagonist** : and its not good to talk behind their backs like that

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : dunk him, dad

 **Screw You** : nooooooo I meant just the fact on how it was handled by the teachers

 **Screw You** : like they got a day off :(

 **Screw You** : none of the school property was even broken

 **Screw You** : its not faaaaaiiiiir

 **baby gangsta** : go whine to the teachers then psh

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : better yet, lets cause a riot again!

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : so we can get punished with a day off too

 **Hash Slinging Slasher** : Or expulsion, on our last year.

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : i miss those crazy ol times

 **Heir to the Throne** : I know I should be used to Chiaki's psychopath side by now but I am still getting whiplash.

 **Screw You** : oh worm?

 **True Protagonist** : uhhh she usually acts like that when shes trying to play 2P games

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : i dont have someone to play tekken with atm :(

 **IM PUNK ROCK** : WHY DIDNT YOU SAAAAY SOOOOO!!! IBUKI WILL BE ON HER WAAAAAY

 **True Protagonist** : and that's that I guess

 **Screw You** : idk what to topic now

 **True Protagonist** : we don't really have to talk here in the chat yknow

 **runt of the litter** : hiiiiii just got back from my daily ant sacrificial ritual

_**I Need Healing** went offline_

**Started from the Bottom** : who do you think from class 79 is likely to step on me

 **baby gangsta** : i'm muting this shit

 

–

**04/24/2018 THE OG CLASS**

_8:16PM_

**Whatever floats your goat** : I'm glad that 79A managed to sort out whatever's been going on with them!

 **Return from the War** : yea especially since they seem like a functional class

 **Im Here Too** : Yaaaas!! they're all really cool!

 **Whatever floats your goat** : truuuuu

 **Whatever floats your goat** : a lot of them are pretty good looking too

 **When Will** : Uh huh! Akamatsu-chan is pretty cute, and I find Amami-kun's mysterious vibe really hot.

 **My Husband** : babe

 **Return from the War** : babe

 **Goodbye Despair** : oof

 **When Will** : hey I love you both very much and you both know that!!

 **My Husband** : haha we know

 **Return from the War** : just teasing

 **[hacker voice]** : the trinity is in sync again, its very cute!!

 **When Will** : You're very cute too, Chihiro!!

 **[hacker voice]** : (◔◡◔✿)

 **Goodbye Despair** : this class is full of cinnamon rolls, its adorable

 **Return from the War** : are you going to ruin this moment again

 **Goodbye Despair** : hell no sis, who do you take me for?

 **Return from the War** : the writer of “The Worst, Most Despair Inducing Event in the History of Mankind”

 **Return from the War** : the most tragic play ever written in the modern era

 **Goodbye Despair** : touche

 **Goodbye Despair** : back to attractive class 79 students

 **Goodbye Despair** : I personally like four eyes

 **Poker Face** : That is because she is a big fan of yours.

 **Goodbye Despair** : gotta appreciate those who recognize my awesomeness!!

 **Aho** : akamatsu-chan's pretty

 **When Will** : I'm telling Ibuki you're preying on other younger girls now

 **Aho** : WAIT NO

 **Poker Face** : Tojo-san and Shinguji-kun are quite attractive.

 **Im Here Too** : they do have some goth aesthetic goin on

 **Poker Face** : I don't understand what you're trying to say...

 **I Cant Believe Its Not Butter** : MOMOTA'S PRETTY MANLY, YO

 **I Cant Believe Its Not Butter** : not as manly as you tho bro **@Hall Monitor** <3

 **Hall Monitor** : Bro <33

 **Will Cut A Bitch** : fucking gross

 **Hall Monitor** : Is that you, Syo?

 **Will Cut A Bitch** : well yeah, you think four eyes can talk back like this lil boi

 **Will Cut A Bitch** : I'd love to cut up the Avocado hotshot

 **Will Cut A Bitch** : and maybe that bottom boytoy with the hat

 **Will Cut A Bitch** : nyahahahahahahahahahaha

 **Will Cut A Bitch** : hahahjdjjncnjdaddsvcjnc

 **My Husband** : Uh... Syo?

 **Will Cut A Bitch** : hi big bro! It's komaru

 **Will Cut A Bitch** : toko/syo is misbehaving again >:(

 **Will Cut A Bitch** : sorry about that!

 **Will Cut A Bitch** : took care of it, have a good night~

 **Im Here Too** : whipped

 **Goodbye Despair** : the respect I have for your sister knows no bounds, makoto

 **My Husband** : Ummm thanks?

 **Whatever floats your goat** : i still don't understand how they managed to end up together but they're a really cute couple~

 **My Husband** : You and me both!

 **My Husband** : Anyway, I find Ouma-kun and Gokuhara-kun good looking!

 **Whatever floats your goat** : going for the shota and the bara.......

 **My Husband** : (p〃д〃q)

 **Return from the War** : i expected nothing less from my husband

 **Return from the War** : tojo and harukawa are pretty hot

 **Goodbye Despair** : knew you'd go for the deres

 **Return from the War** : fuck off sis

 **Goodbye Despair** : HoW dAre yOU tAlK tO ME LiKE tHAt yOuNG Lady

 **Hall Monitor** : Please be in your best behavior!

 **[hacker voice]** : Iruma-san is really pretty!! Yumeno-chan is cute! and Iidabashi acts a bit robotic but it's endearing~

 **Whatever floats your goat** : all valid statements <3

 **Whatever floats your goat** : Angie-san can be quite eccentric but I find it charming

 **I love Donuts** : I agree, Aoi my dear

 **Hall Monitor** : I find Gokuhara-kun very appealing!!!

 **I Cant Believe Its Not Butter** : Right on broooo!!!!

 **Im Here Too** : Chabashira-chi is really scary but shes undoubtably pretty! Yonaga-chi too!

 **Im Here Too** : i wanna add Yumeno-chi too but i feel like a child predator

 **Goodbye Despair** : snorts

 **Whatever floats your goat** : lol sakura just screenshotted the convo

 **Im Here Too** : o shiT OGRE DONT SEND IT TO CHABASHIRA-CHI PLS

 **Whatever floats your goat** : keep calling her ogre and expect chabashira-san to break into your room to break your legs in a heartbeat

 **Im Here Too** : IM SORRY IM SOORRYYY SAKURA PLS DONT

 **I love Donuts** : then perish

 **Im Here Too** : jhdsjasdfssaoifshifadjfadi'dafjo

 **Goodbye Despair** : begone, c u c k

 **Return from the War** : RIP

 **Aho** : aw man he still owes me 6000 yen

 **Poker Face** : He owes me a Victorian estate located in Romania

 **When Will** : Heyy **@Ice Queen** who do you find attractive in 79A?

 **Ice Queen** : Hoshi-kun and Harukawa-san.

 **Goodbye Despair** : ofc you'd go for the reclusive ones, jeez

 **Whatever floats your goat** : always so straightforward

 **My Husband** : Who hasn't spoken yet?

 **My Husband** : Ah, **@Doujins are Good** and **@Richkid**!!

 **Doujins are Good** : Oh yes! Sorry I was busy finalizing this week's page update

 **My Husband** : It's okay!

 **When Will** : koto youre such a good egg its making me cry

 **Return from the War** : same

 **My Husband** : Ah, I'm sorry!

 **When Will** : DONT APOLOGIZE ITS MAKING ME CRY MORE

 **My Husband** : ;w;

 **My Husband** : Carry on, Hifumin!

 **Doujins are Good** : Right! I think Yumeno-dono is very cute!

 **My Husband** : okay full stop there

 **Goodbye Despair** : and finally, you **@Richkid**? hurry up and answer this is getting boring

 **When Will** : oh stop being stubborn byakuya!

 **My Husband** : Please answer **@Richkid**!

 **Richkid** : Why is this necessary?

 **[hacker voice]** : whipped

 **Richkid** : And what are you trying to insinuate, you insolenadfoaiaf[ofac

 **Whatever floats your goat** : omg who snipedt him in the middle of his bourgeois speech

 **Return from the War** : im the obvious candidate but Nope

 **Hall Monitor** : Byakuya! Are you alright?

 **I Cant Believe Its Not Butter** : I fucking adore chihiro and if someone here crosses him again im going to kill all of you and then myself

 **Hall Monitor** : I accept that fate in your hands, Kyoudai.

 **Goodbye Despair** : gay

 **Whatever floats your goat** : i kinda imagine mondo and chihiro's dynamic like that samurai with the sword protectively holding a cat

 **Return from the War** : o shit u rite

 **I Cant Believe Its Not Butter** : NOW ANSWER THE QUESTION YO **@Richkid**

 **Richkid** : … I find Tojo stunning and worthy of the Togami name.

 **Goodbye Despair** : she's a lesbian, harold

 

–

**04/25/2018 HOPE'S PEAK FACULTY GC**

_6:35AM_

**Candy Crush** : I dunno why I bothered being a teacher

 **Sword Daddy** : in an institution that you find shitty and you actually hate

 **Candy Crush** : Ikr?? ya feel me babe

 **Candy Crush** : someday let's blow up HPA

 **Sword Daddy** : sure

 **Jin** : Please don't use the faculty groupchat to air your rants and ill wishes...

 **Chisa Pizza** : lol

 **Will Die Of Alcohol Poisoning** : this is why im barely sober

 **Jin** : I can't believe even my staff are barely functioning adults.

 **Farmville** : wwwwhhaaat??

 **Farmville** : afterr all the HONEST HARDWORK ive ddone for this shit school

 **Reverse Matador** : sshhh bandai, you're valid

 **Ultimate Fossil** : kirigiri is just an awful man

 **Jin** : I hate this family

 **Candy Crush** : Anywaaaay

 **Candy Crush** : Seikoooo~~ are the sedatives ready?

 **Candy Crush** : **@dont google your symptoms**

 **dont google your symptoms** : oh! Yes, they're ready for pickup.

 **Reverse Matador** : To what purpose does that serve, Ando?

 **Candy Crush** : i'm teaching English to 77B later ;c;

 **Reverse Matador** : Ah, carry on then

 **Chisa Pizza** : (o^-')b

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nickname guide:
> 
> HPA STAFF
> 
> Chisa Pizza: yukizome  
> Frosty the Swordsman: munakata  
> Sucker Punch: sakakura  
> Will Die Of Alcohol Poisoning: kizakura  
> Jin: kirigiri  
> Ultimate Fossil: tengan  
> Farmville: bandai  
> Reverse Matador: great gozu  
> Candy Crush: ando  
> Sword Daddy: izayoi  
> dont google your symptoms: kimura
> 
> \--  
> Would Rather Be Stuck In An Island (77B)
> 
> Screw You: Soda  
> I Need Healing: Tsumiki  
> Trash(tm): Komaeda  
> Bokeh: Koizumi  
> baby gangsta: Kuzuryu  
> Hash Slinging Slasher: Pekoyama  
> True Protagonist: Hinata/Kamukura  
> Valid Gamer Gril: Nanami  
> The Princess Is In Another Castle: Sonia  
> Heir to the Throne: Twogami  
> IM PUNK ROCK: Mioda  
> One For All: Nidai  
> runt of the litter: Saionji  
> Started from the Bottom: Hanamura  
> (that's all who spoke, so far)
> 
> \--  
> THE OG CLASS (78A)
> 
> Aho: Kuwata  
> Richkid: Togami  
> Will Cut A Bitch: Fukawa/Syo  
> When Will: Maizono  
> My Husband: Naegi  
> Return from the War: Ikusaba  
> Goodbye Despair: Enoshima  
> Im Here Too: Hagakure  
> Doujins are Good: Yamada  
> Whatever floats your goat: Asahina  
> I love Donuts: Ogami  
> I Cant Believe Its Not Butter: Owada  
> [hacker voice]: Fujisaki  
> Poker Face: (Celestia Ludenburg) Yasuhiro  
> Hall Monitor: Ishimaru  
> Ice Queen: Kirigiri


	8. I: Crushes to Crushes, Dust to Dust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **notto disu shitto agen** : WHO IS SHYBOI
> 
>  **notto disu shitto agen** : IS IT YOU **@The Only Hope For Me Is You**
> 
>  **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : ??
> 
>  **notto disu shitto agen** : HPA confessions!!
> 
>  **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Oh, wait let me check.
> 
>  **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : OOHHHHHHH

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot moves forward with Twitter
> 
> nickname guide:
> 
> notto disu shitto agen: Ouma  
> The Only Hope For Me Is You: Saihara  
> Treblemaker: Akamatsu  
> bitch I am the WAY: Yonaga  
> starlord: Momota  
> ShirogaNYA: Shirogane  
> Mother Knows Best: Tojo  
> imma meme: Amami  
> Maki Roll: Harukawa  
> Do You Believe In Magic: Yumeno  
> chaotic lesbean: Chabashira  
> Kork: Shinguji  
> Robot Rights Activist: Idabashi  
> dumb blonde slut: Iruma  
> Good Noodle: Gokuhara  
> quail egg: Hoshi  
> \--
> 
> Reverse Matador: great gozu  
> Farmville: bandai  
> Candy Crush: ando  
> Sword Daddy: izayoi  
> dont google your symptoms: kimura  
> Sucker Punch: sakakura  
> Frosty the Swordsman: munakata  
> Chisa Pizza: yukizome  
> Ultimate Fossil: tengan  
> Just @ me nexttime: gekkogahara  
> Jin: kirigiri  
> Will Die Of Alcohol Poisoning: kizakura

**04/27/2018 HOPE'S PEAK FACULTY GC**

_8:19PM_

 

 **Will Die Of Alcohol Poisoning** : save for gozu's class disaster at the beginning of the week

 **Reverse Matador** : that got resolved!

 **Will Die Of Alcohol Poisoning** : this week was overall pretty _normal_

 **Farmville** : Is that bad?

 **Jin** : Please don't jinx it.

 **Candy Crush** : I could stir up some drama with Seiko again to break the record~

 **Sword Daddy** : i'll help

 **dont google your symptoms** : please Don't!

 **Chisa Pizza** : ooohhhhh that sounds exciting!! i could go undercover again and sneak around HPA's restricted areas~

 **Chisa Pizza** : i miss doing that

 **Frosty the Swordsman** : You, stop that.

 **Chisa Pizza** : but u were the one who made me do it in the first place back then

 **Jin** : WHAT?

 **Sucker Punch** : now youve done it yukizome

 **Chisa Pizza** : didnt you beat up a student before

 **Farmville** : Oh dear...

 **Jin** : HOW DID I NOT KNOW THESE???

 **Ultimate Fossil:** i knew

 **Jin** : Why didn't you tell me? I've asked if there was anything going wrong with the school!

 **Ultimate Fossil:** you never specifically asked

 **Jin** : What was I supposed to ask? “Is our former student sneaking around the restricted areas?” “did one of our staff just punch a student?”

 **Ultimate Fossil** : yes.

 **Jin** : Why did I have such an incompetent staff

 **Will Die Of Alcohol Poisoning** : coz ur an incompetent father

 **Jin** : what?

_**Reverse Matador** went offline_

_**Candy Crush** went offline_

_**Ultimate Fossil** went offline_

_**Sword Daddy** went offline_

_**dont google your symptoms** went offline_

_**Farmville** went offline_

_**Sucker Punch** went offline_

_**Frosty the Swordsman** went offline_

_**Just @ me nexttime** went offline_

**Chisa Pizza** : wow even gekkogahara-san the cryptid pays her respects

_**Chisa Pizza** went offline_

 

 

–

 **HOPE'S PEAK CONFESSIONS**  
_@HPAconfessions_

Got something to share? Send it here: HPAconfessions@hopemail.com  
Your identity is safe with us ;) Not affiliated with _@HPAOfficial_

10.9K Tweets  
502.6K Followers

 

 **HOPE'S PEAK CONFESSIONS** @HPAconfessions . Apr 27

we've only known each other barely 3 weeks but I really like you iidabashi-kun! i'm really shy about telling u this in person -shyboi, 79

_10 Replies| 84 Retweets | 547 Likes_

 

HOPE'S PEAK CONFESSIONS Retweeted  
**HPA SC President** @MurasameSoshun . Apr 26

.@HPAconfessions some of the replies are outrageous! Please don't oversexualize the students of HPA, or anyone for that matter! Such behavior is unsightly.

_127 Replies| 549 Retweets| 1.89K Likes_

 

 **HOPE'S PEAK CONFESSIONS** @HPAconfessions . Apr 26

Akamatsu and Iruma are really attractive. I'd date them both at the same time tbh -2blondes1dude, redacted

_869 Replies| 1.37K Retweets| 5.41K Likes_

 

 **HOPE'S PEAK CONFESSIONS** @HPAconfessions . Apr 26

sakakura-sensei is really hot! it's a shame he's already taken :( -tried to make a move, 78

_490 Replies| 738 Retweets| 2.32K Likes_

 

 **HOPE'S PEAK CONFESSIONS** @HPAconfessions . Apr 26

I still love you enoshima, please come back. -Ex with Benefits, 77

_667 Replies| 491 Retweets| 3.01K Likes_

 

 **HOPE'S PEAK CONFESSIONS** @HPAconfessions . Apr 25

Tojo you are stunning and I'd love to marry you if you would have me -boy with feelings, 78

_745 Replies| 684 Retweets| 2.97K Likes_

 

 **HOPE'S PEAK CONFESSIONS** @HPAconfessions . Apr 25

um ive liked u for a while now pekoyama but ur already taken & i respect that, just wanted to get this off my chest -heartbroken, 77

_863 Replies| 437 Retweets| 1.91K Likes_

 

 **HOPE'S PEAK CONFESSIONS** @HPAconfessions . Apr 25

why does 79A have so many students with ahoges? how do we know who's the main character? it's weird -AhogeInvestigator

_24.3K Replies| 101.6K Retweets| 203K Likes_

 

 **HOPE'S PEAK CONFESSIONS** @HPAconfessions . Apr 24

Gokuhara, you're very interesting and I'd love you to be mine someday! I'll confess to you in person, I promise! -Braveheart, 77

_512 Replies| 601 Retweets| 3.01K Likes_

 

 

–

_04/27/2018 9:21PM_

**notto disu shitto agen** : OHMYG OOOD

 **imma meme** : *oumagod

 **notto disu shitto agen** : eyyy, nice

 **notto disu shitto agen** : ANYWAY

 **notto disu shitto agen** : WHO IS SHYBOI

 **notto disu shitto agen** : IS IT YOU **@The Only Hope For Me Is You**

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : ??

 **notto disu shitto agen** : HPA confessions!!

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Oh, wait let me check.

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : OOHHHHHHH

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : **@Robot Rights Activist** you have an admirer!!

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I do?

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : A secret one, for now...

 **notto disu shitto agen** : so its not you??

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Nah

 **notto disu shitto agen** : thank atuaaa

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I do not understand.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : we should investigate tho

 **notto disu shitto agen** : lets find out who keeboy's secret admirer is detective saihara-chan!

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I'm not really a full-fledged detective yet, yknow

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : **@Robot Rights Activist** Someone likes you :D and it's from our class

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Someone likes me? What could they possibly like about me...

 **imma meme** : eyyy i know theyve got plenty to like about you

 **dumb blonde slut** : yea!!!! i cant say that was me tho coz im never shy of tellin u that i like u

 **imma meme** : and youre not a boi

 **bitch I am the WAY** : and she's gay!!~~

 **notto disu shitto agen** : ok so we can cross out all the girls

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : And we can't rule out anyone from the guys yet as everyone seems to be atleast biromantic.

 **ShirogaNYA** : Are we not going to talk about how someone wants to marry Tojo-san already??

 **notto disu shitto agen** : but its a boy

 **chaotic lesbean** : ew

 **chaotic lesbean** : besides, tojo-san is a lesben

 **chaotic lesbean** : lesbiab

 **ShirogaNYA** : it's okay, take your time

 **chaotic lesbean** : girls

 **Mother Knows Best** : Correct.

 **Mother Knows Best** : Furthermore, I am aware of who “boy with feelings” is.

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Ah you've figured it out already? You're better at being a detective than me, mom ;w;

 **ShirogaNYA** : who is it?? :o

 **Mother Knows Best** : Togami-sama.

 **notto disu shitto again** : wrow

 **Treblemaker** : I can't believe that guy actually has feelings.

 **Mother Knows Best** : Don't fret, Saihara-san. I already knew he liked me. I once served as a maid to the Togami family and even then I had an inkling he was interested in me.

 **Mother Knows Best** : So please, don't let that make you think you are inadequate as a detective.

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Okay mom!! Sorry I'm just not very confident with my skills yet...

 **notto disu shitto agen** : you'll get there, shumai~ and I can help yooouuu

 **Treblemaker** : I help too!!!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : and akamatsu-chan too I guess

 **notto disu shitto agen** : but mostly me <3

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Um... okay?

 **chaotic lesbean** : tenko doesnt like that tweet with iruma-san and akamatsu-san tho!!

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I didn't like that too, the replies especially

 **chaotic lesbean** : many of the replies were from chauvinist pigs!!! absolutely disgusting

 **Treblemaker** : Oh, tell me about it. I had to deactivate my twitter coz I kept getting awful messages.

 **Treblemaker** : A lot of them were along the lines of “You're the best waifu <3” and stuff about my boobs

 **Treblemaker** : Though I did get some supportive, wholesome messages

 **dumb blonde slut** : all i got were bad coz unlike u, i aint a saint in their eyes

 **dumb blonde slut** : like i know i make lewd comments a lot but its all just bark??

 **dumb blonde slut** : yea im into BDSM and all that kinky shit but im still more of a slut for CONSENT

 **dumb blonde slut** : a lot of assholes want to rape me

 **Treblemaker** : ugh, awful!!!

 **imma meme** : faith in humanity, obliterated

 **ShirogaNYA** : I'm sorry you had to go through that!! No one should ever be subjected to that kind of treatment :(

 **bitch I am the WAY** : dont worry Miu and Kaede!! Atua says he will smite them all!~~

 **bitch I am the WAY** : ~He is sending them 10 plagues next tuesday :D

 **Maki Roll** : and if the plagues doesnt finish them all off, i'll personally kill off the remaining ones

 **chaotic lesbean** : tenko loves this idea!!!!!

 **imma meme** : faith in humanity, restored!

 **dumb blonde slut** : HELL YEAH YES PLEASE

 **Treblemaker** : Please don't actually send them 10 plagues, Angie-san...

 **Treblemaker** : And you're such a sweetheart, Harukawa-san... But, there's no need to go that far

 **dumb blonde** : booooo

 **Mother Knows Best** : If their methods are too ostentatious for you, Akamatsu-san, then may I suggest a more inconspicuous way of killing them off?

 **Treblemaker** : oh my god not you too tojo-san

 **ShirogaNYA** : she didn't really say no so....

 **Maki Roll** : i want to hear it

 **dumb blonde slut** : yea let us have it!!

 **Mother Knows Best** : We will ask Fujisaki-san to trace all of their locations. Afterwards, I shall provide them my services as a maid, then systematically poison them and Harukawa-san will dispose of their bodies in an undisclosed location or dissolve them with acid.

 **Maki Roll** : ^

 **dumb blonde slut** : daaaaaamn, i like the sound of that

 **Treblemaker** : NO

 **Treblemaker** : dont do this even if it's for me

 **Treblemaker** : BLS

 **Mother Knows Best** : It was merely a suggestion.

 **imma meme** : it did sound like yall would actually do it tho

 **Mother Knows Best** : Perhaps.

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Guys!! I think I figured out Iidabashi-kun's secret admirer!

 **imma meme** : woah rly?

 **dumb blonde slut** : oh?

 **notto disu shitto agen** : hey dont doubt his detective skills, you unworthy peasants

 **dumb blonde slut** : **@Robot Rights Activist** yo u gotta be excited for this

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I still cannot wrap my head around the fact someone “likes” me...

 **imma meme** : dont overthink it! Just Accept It

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : it's Gonta-kun!!

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Can you please elaborate why you think so, Saihara-kun?

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : It sounds like Gonta-kun? It's not properly capitalized or spelled out completely but overall it's worded out like something Gonta-kun would say!

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Oh, I see your point!

 **ShirogaNYA** : it does sound like him if you correct the sentence construction

 **ShirogaNYA** : “We've only known each other barely three weeks but I really like you Iidabashi-kun! I'm really shy about telling u this in person!”

 **imma meme** : oh shit u rite

 **notto disu shitto agen** : oohhhh good job saihara-chan!!!

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Not to mention that they both have been rather close.

 **Robot Rights Activist** : That is true...

 **Robot Rights Activist** : **@Good Noodle** Gonta-kun, you have been a rather great companion as of late and I accept your feelings!

 **ShirogaNYA** : kyaaaaa!! so kawaii

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Blessed be this day!~~

 **Good Noodle** : Oh!

 **Good Noodle** : Iidabashi-kun, it wasn't Gonta who wrote that confession!

 **Good Noodle** : I am very sorry! :(

 **ShirogaNYA** : and gonta-kun never lies.......

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Oh...

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Angie takes back her blessing~

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : crap

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I ruined this, oh god

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : If only I was even half as good as Kirigiri-sempai

 **Treblemaker** : Woah woah hold up on that thought Shuichi-kun!!

 **Good Noodle** : Gonta is sorry, Saihara-kun!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : hey hey shumai people make mistakes, its fine

 **notto disu shitto agen** : keeboy doesnt look like hes going for a relationship anyway

 **Robot Rights Activist** : That is true! Nothing was really ruined, I swear!

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I do not even understand the extent of my feelings.

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I merely “accepted” his feelings for formality. Although I am not sure if that is proper.

 **Treblemaker** : Uh, usually when you say you “accept someone's feelings,” you imply that you feel the same way.....

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Oh, I see! I thought it meant acknowledging the other's feelings despite not feeling the same.

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I apologize for the confusion.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : mystery solved!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : now dont feel too bad saihara-chan~

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Still...

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I was making conclusions out of half-assed assumptions

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Please do not feel too bad about it Saihara-kun!

 **Good Noodle** : Gonta thought it was a good guess! Gonta does spend time with Iidabashi-kun.

 **Good Noodle** : Gonta doesn't blame Saihara-kun for the wrong conclusion since you haven't seen Gonta spend more time with Nidai-sempai!

 **notto disu shitto** : owo what's this

 **dumb blonde slut** : NIIIIIIIICE

 **ShirogaNYA** : AAAAAAHHHHHHH ONE OF MY SHIPS

 **imma meme** : seriously mugi, irl ships??

 **bitch I am the WAY** : BLESSED BE THIS DAY AGAIN~~

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Ah, so do you like Nidai-sempai, Gonta-kun?

 **Good Noodle** : Yes!!!

 **ShirogaNYA** : my skin is clear my crops are flourishing my grades are up there is world peace

 **imma meme** : wait we dont even know if this is requited

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Actually, I'm much more confident about this conclusion:

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Nidai-sempai is likely Braveheart

 **Good Noodle** : Gonta thinks so too!

 **Treblemaker** : Ah I hope this turns out well for you, Gonta-kun!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : now we can rule out gonta-chan as keeboy's possible secret admirer~

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Are we still trying to figure this out even after I messed up?

 **notto disu shitto agen** : were trying to hone your detective skills!!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : this will be good practice

 **Treblemaker** : I wholeheartedly support this endeavor. Go for it, Shuichi-kun!

 **ShirogaNYA** : ganbatte saihara-kun!!!!

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : alright,,

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I'll need more time tho

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who could Iidabashi-kun's secret admirer be? Find out on the next episode of Dragon Balls!


	9. I: A Start of Something New

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Dragon Balls: someone likes Iidabashi-kun! But it's not really a question of who does... that much was kind of obvious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another week, another drama. That's class 79 for you!
> 
> Based on the Chapter 1 Trial  
> The victim is Amami Rantaro, cause of death is a spear through the heart.
> 
> (I'm not much of a good writer as I am as an artist lol  
> and this is unbeta'd soooooo ;w;)
> 
> EDIT 3-13-19: Slight edits to the narrative text, especially on Tojo's scene. I fixed it so she doesn't seem to realize yet that she does like Akamatsu _that way_.

_04/27/2018 10:35PM_

**starlord** : dont wanna ruin ur lil detective game but

 **notto disu shitto agen** : its ruined now, thanks

 **starlord** : **@The Only Hope For Me Is You** it's nighttime exercise time!!!

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Oh right let me just change into appropriate clothing

 **notto disu shitto agen** : oooooo can i come??

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I dont think so

 **starlord** : no

 **starlord** : harumaki here also says no

 **notto disu shitto agen** : hmph

 **notto disu shitto agen** : i'll start my own fitness group then!!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : with uuuuuuhhhh

 **notto disu shitto agen** : **@imma meme**!!

 **imma meme** : ok

 **notto disu shitto agen** : that was a lackluster response

 **notto disu shitto agen** : fiiine i'll go find my members somewhere else!!

 **starlord** : lol

–

Harukawa hated this. She was alone with Momota for exactly 27 minutes now. They were at a courtyard located on the west wing of the academy, an area that was less frequented by security personnel doing their rounds at night. They had to stay hidden, as they weren't allowed to leave their dorm after 10pm after all. Harukawa does not care to remember how she managed to get roped into this “nightly exercise bonding” (as Momota would put it) but even more so admitting that she liked being a part of it.

Momota was currently rambling his usual nonsense while she was a good few feet away, sitting on one of the nearby benches absentmindedly playing with her hair while she listens to him drone on. Momota had a habit of making gestures and animated expressions while he explains how much Ouma was a little shit, or when he talks about his dreams of going to space, or when he fondly recalls a childhood memory. How his facial features lose their edge, his usual brash smile softening and the way his eyes sparkle when he reminisces a moment with his grandparents... _wait, shit_.

Harukawa slightly shifts in place, which didn't go unheard by Momota since he stops word vomiting and directs his full attention on her. That immediately makes her uncomfortable. He raises an eyebrow and opens his mouth to say something but she cuts him off “You accidentally dropped the grocery bags and?”

Momota gives her a blinding smile, and proceeds recounting his story about an embarrassing experience he had while accompanying his grandmother at a morning market, seeing as Harukawa was paying attention. She always did pay attention to him. She wonders when Saihara will be arriving, but doesn't really spare too much thought on it.

“ _You like him.”_ Akamatsu's voice softly echoes in her head. She suppresses a groan at the thought. She loathed talking about feelings but relented one time when she and the pianist had “girl talk.” The tightening feeling she kept experiencing whenever Momota was nearby was starting to annoy her, and she needed to understand what was going on with herself. Akamatsu can be overbearing and skittish, but she was a tolerable ray of sunshine that she considers a friend. The pianist was also very in touch with her emotions, if her demeanor whenever Tojo was in the vicinity was anything to go by. _“You like him”_ Akamatsu's voice rings again, this time louder.

It was annoying because now she can't stop thinking about how much she possibly  _likes_ him. Before she had a label for it, everything was _fine_ if not for a few quirks like the subtle irritation she feels when Momota was a tad to close talking to another girl (she's hardly threatened by the gays in their class) or that magnetic pull she feels willing her to just talk to him-- which she thinks is normal because Momota was her first friend outside the orphanage and that was making her possessive. It was ridiculous! They only knew each other for barely three weeks and yet here she was, one of the lovestruck idiots in their class. Maybe she was just overthinking this, after all, she had no prior experience with 'crushes.' The thought felt disheartening the moment she considered it. Indeed, why does she _like_ him?

She snaps out of her reverie when she hears some leaves rustling. She directs her attention on a rather disheveled Saihara who had just arrived, wearing a plain tshirt and jogger pants, mumbling a quick greeting followed by a litany of apologies. Momota simply takes it in stride (unsurprisingly) and lets out a hearty laugh which she scolds him for. “Let's start!” Momota and Saihara do some simple stretches before going into push up position on the concrete, and they start their sets without her. She eyes them for a moment before following suit, a tiny smile gracing her lips. _They always did need a headstart._

 

–

**11:14PM Amami Rantaro to Akamatsu Kaede**

**FreeshAvocadu** : akamatsu-san can we talk

 **HurricaneTortilla** : Heeyyy don't you think it's too soon for you to use HPA confessions haha

 **FreeshAvocadu** : i didnt

 **HurricaneTortilla** : What?

 **FreeshAvocadu** : i didnt send that confession

 **HurricaneTortilla** : Then it means someone else from the guys likes Iidabashi-kun...

 **FreeshAvocadu** : lets think about this like a detective solving a crime

 **FreeshAvocadu** : what do we know that's a fact?

 **HurricaneTortilla** : The culprit is a male from class 79!

 **FreeshAvocadu** : yes, but we removed gonta-kun earlier in light of his confession

 **FreeshAvocadu** : that leaves me, ouma-kun, saihara-kun, shinguji-kun, momota-kun and hoshi-kun

 **FreeshAvocadu** : operating on assumption, ouma-kun and saihara-kun have a thing going on while momota-kun seems fixated on harukawa-san

 **FreeshAvocadu** : hoshi-kun is too caught up on a personal problem and his prolonged associations are either with tojo-san or gonta-kun

 **FreeshAvocadu** : shinguji-kun spends too much time observing people than actually engaging with them

 **FreeshAvocadu** : it wouldnt take long for our resident detective to reach the conclusion that im shyboi

 **HurricaneTortilla** : Yeah, Shuichi-kun is just a little slow but he'll figure it out

 **FreeshAvocadu** : the bigger mystery tho is who sent the confession on my supposed behalf

 **FreeshAvocadu:** coz i only entrusted two ppl the information

 **HurricaneTortilla** : I never told anyone

 **FreeshAvocadu** : not even your bestfriend?

 **HurricaneTortilla** : of course not! Dont you think he wouldnt have gone thru all that trouble figuring out who shyboi is if he was privy to that info

 **FreeshAvocadu** : he could be delaying the inevitable for all i know

 **HurricaneTortilla** : are you seriously implying that i betrayed you??

 **HurricaneTortilla** : how are you even sure the other one you told isnt lying?

 **FreeshAvocadu** : i just know she's trustworthy

 **HurricaneTortilla** : I swear it wasn't me, Amami-kun!

 **HurricaneTortilla** : and arent you being a bit extra about this? its just a crush!

 **FreeshAvocadu** : well excuse me if this isnt as big of a problem as u being called out for being self righteous in the gc for this to be considered valid

 **HurricaneTortilla** : oh god, im sorry

 **HurricaneTortilla** : but I still don't deserve that baseless accusation!

 **FreeshAvocadu** : ah it doesnt matter

 **FreeshAvocadu** : i guess were even

 **HurricaneTortilla** : what?

 **FreeshAvocadu** : I did openly tease you a lot with tojo-san so I guess I deserved this

–

Tojo was in the process of rolling the filled tortilla when she jolts at the sound of a chair scraping against the floor. She turns her attention to Akamatsu, whose focus was glued at her own phone. The blonde had been happy to “accompany” her while she prepared burritos at the request of Yonaga. Akamatsu actually wanted to help her but she politely declined that offer, so the pianist opted to sit idly in the kitchen and entertain herself with social media while waiting for the maid to finish her task. Tojo appreciated that about Akamatsu, she was one of the few people that treated her like a normal teenager.

The maid silently resumes rolling the tortilla while observing the blonde nearby. Akamatsu was still sitting on the chair, brows furrowed and lips on a thin line as she glares daggers at her phone screen. Her grip on her phone visibly tightened while her free hand was balled into a tense fist. _She's really angry_ , Tojo surmises. Akamatsu was prone to easily snapping, but was also quick to calming herself immediately after. And she did just that. The pianist closed her eyes and began doing breathing exercises, occasionally mouthing something incoherent. 

Tojo prides herself on being quick-witted should something arise; always knowing how to address most problems in a snap, but right now she doesn't know if she should leave her be or bring it up to the pianist's attention (and admit to herself she had been observing Akamatsu enough to know something was wrong. She knows she's astute, but even this simple act of caring too much oddly feels _unprofessional_  for her).

Before she can talk herself out of it, she caves in to a whim. “Is something the matter, Akamatsu-san?”

Akamatsu gasps and quickly snaps her eyes open to look at Tojo. She looks like she just remembered she wasn't alone in the kitchen. “N-Nothing! It's fine, everything's fine, Tojo-san.” The pianist makes a hasty retreat and was halfway out the doorway when she utters a mumbled apology and goodnight.

Tojo stays rooted on her spot in the kitchen, mechanically doing her task of making burritos for Yonaga, even though she knew Akamatsu wasn't _fine_ , and that all she could think about now was running after the pianist and comforting her. She's done that before when she ran after Akamatsu after her altercation with Ouma. Then, she didn't really have any pending requests. But now, she had a task at hand and a couple more afterwards, and as a maid, she knew she should never prioritize her whims; she already gave in once tonight. She grits her teeth.

Suddenly, her white buttoned up long sleeved shirt, her plain mid-length pleated skirt and the apron wrapped around her felt suffocating. She's on the fourth burrito now. She scoops a sizable amount of beef and proceeds to stuff the flour tortilla. Wait, she was only supposed to make three. She mentally scolds herself but continues filling the burrito anyway, it would be a shame for it to go to waste. After heating up the last burrito, she is done with her task for Yonaga. Now she has to marinate the beef for tomorrow's breakfast. Then, wash the dishes the other students have been leaving out on the sink. It's almost midnight. Tojo lets out a heavy sigh. She would never admit it even at gunpoint, but this is something she brought upon herself.

 

–

_11:35PM_

**notto disu shitto agen** : hey heyyy **@The Only Hope For Me Is You** when are u coming baaaack

 **notto disu shitto agen** : better not do anything to my shumai **@starlord**

 **notto disu shitto agen** : **@Maki Roll** control your bf

 **imma meme** : what about me babe

 **notto disu shitto agen** : i dont know u

 **imma meme** : binch

–

Ouma stretches his legs as he lay sprawled on the sofa. He's currently in the living room of their dorm, waiting for the “fitness night” trio to return. It's been an hour and they haven't returned yet, and it annoys him. He knows the three usually spend more than an hour and tries to not let it bother him but it's not working even with his fortitude. Iruma was nearby, seated at one of the counters doing god knows what, he doesn't care to exactly know. Ouma passes the time by chatting with Amami who he notices seems to be off-kilter. He'll confront him about it some other time. He yawns. _Anytime now, they'll be back..._

Initially, he thought all of his classmates were boring and not worth his time which is why he immediately worked on pissing off each and every one of them from day one. It backfired oh him because his class wasn't boring at all, and now he was known as the resident asshole. Naturally, most of his classmates avoided being close with him except Amami, Akamatsu and his beloved Saihara. _Akamatsu and her annoying personal justice._ The others were pretty neutral about him but Momota doesn't seem very fond of him at all. _Stupid spaceman._

Ouma acknowledges he's been having an unreasonable jealousy streak over a person that even isn't _his_. First, with Akamatsu who's been really close with the shy detective, clinging to him with obvious disregard to his personal space that Saihara doesn't seem to mind. He eventually learns that they're childhood bestfriends ( _and former middleschool sweethearts_ , after his persistent snooping) and that doesn't curb his jealousy at all. His only consolation was that Saihara claims to be not sexually interested in girls and Akamatsu is too caught up with her responsibilities as Class Rep. Next, with Momota who has been hanging out with Saihara a bit too frequently recently. He's aware the spaceman swings both ways and despite showing interest towards Harukawa, it's not set in stone until the assassin stops being deflective about it. It's worrisome since Saihara does seem affectionate towards Momota, be it an effect of their budding friendship or blossoming feelings, Ouma isn't sure and it terrifies him not knowing (not that he would openly admit it).

He never batted an eye towards Saihara before, but being his seatmate warranted his attention. Amami being seated in front of him had its perks, as the adventurer was quite pretty and had this sexy, mysterious air surrounding him but Saihara was a different kind of interesting. He was soft spoken and polite, meticulous and intelligent. The detective wasn't very confident but he could stand his ground, and there were times he would talk animatedly when the topic was about true crime and mysteries. Saihara was also very intuitive and empathetic, and would gladly lend his time for those who need a listener whenever Akamatsu wasn't around. Soft boys weren't Ouma's cup of tea and yet here he is drawn to the shy detective. _Maybe he would be able to expose my lie..._

Ouma sits up when he hears shuffling out the front door. After a moment, some keys clink against the door handle, the lock clicks, and the door is pushed open. Harukawa, Momota and Saihara shuffle in, the two boys particularly slicked with sweat and out of breath. Iruma, who could see them from her position, just had to imply something lewd about the scene and blanches when she receives a glare from Harukawa.

“Yay, you're back!” Ouma greets as he rushes towards the trio who were still trying to remove their footwear.

Saihara pauses, then looks at him with a smile “We're back.” The heat that spreads on Ouma's face was immediate and to avoid being questioned for it, he quickly clings to Momota and smothers his face on the astronaut's shirt while expressing how much he misses them all. Thankfully, the dumbass spaceman doesn't smell despite being sweaty. Momota backs away slightly, shouting profanities at the smaller boy. Harukawa simply rolls her eyes at them, unamused of it all.

 

–

 **resident gumshoe**  
@s_saihara

I make a point of never having any prejudices, and of following docilely where fact may lead me. -S.Holmes

7,542 Tweets  
9,489 Followers

 

 **resident gumshoe** @s_saihara . 2Min

Just got back from late night training with **@LuminaryOfTheStars** and **@harukawamaki**  
Loved the stars tonight!

_No replies| 1 Retweet| 4 Likes_

 

resident gumshoe Retweeted  
**Sherlock Quotes** @detective_quotes . Apr 26

How often have I said that when you have excluded the impossible whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” The Sign of Four

–

Saihara trudges into his room not even bothering to turn on the lights, doing his best to ignore the ache spread across his body. He fishes his phone from his jogger pants and types something.

After sending the tweet, Saihara carelessly tosses his phone on his bedside before practically jumping on his bed. He was tired physically from the exercises, and emotionally from all the consoling he had to do during this disaster of a week. It was obvious that the problem still hung over them, if the mild tension was any indication but it was nice that the class was trying. Trying to be normal? He isn't sure but the class was trying. Something, at least. Ignoring the problem doesn't sit right with him, which was why he mustered up the courage to get them all together and talk about it last Monday. Normally, he counted on Akamatsu for those kinds of things but she malfunctions when she's part of the problem. He didn't really expect this to be fully resolved but it beats them being constantly at each other's throats.

His thoughts suddenly drift to Ouma, the one starting it all, who was playfully clinging onto Momota earlier. He frowns at the thought. _Does Ouma-kun like Momo-kun?_ They have been rather close lately, as in constantly teasing each other. Momota looks genuinely irritated by Ouma's constant snark, since he brings him up a lot whenever they have “bro talk.” But that could also be a mask for his growing soft spot for the supreme leader. Harukawa doesn't seem to be bothered, which surprises him since he was sure she was interested in the astronaut. Harukawa does seem to be brushing off Momota more than usual, while going out of her way to hang out with her blonde bestfriend more frequently. _Does that mean Harukawa-san likes Kaede-san?_ But he knows Akamatsu is head over heels over Tojo. Then again, he's also aware the pianist used to have a crush on Harukawa (and Shirogane). Should he set up the two girls? While he's at it, he could also set up Momota and Ouma. Now he doesn't think it's a very good idea.

Ouma was hardly a likeable character, but he can't help being drawn to him. He was constantly trying to get on anyone's nerves and reveling in their misery, but he never goes too far. He never pushes the buttons of anyone who already seems distressed. Ouma has proven time and again that he cares but was always very indirect about it. There's a certain vulnerability inside Ouma that he dreads showing but Saihara wants to see it often, and he's very willing to personally draw it out of him. The detective now thinks about Momota and what Ouma could possibly like about him. While the astronaut was hotheaded and brash, he was also very supportive, uplifting and passionate. While he was timid, pessimistic and weak-willed. Saihara hardly considered a relationship with the supreme leader when he first started talking to him, but now it's assured that he has no chance at being more than just a friend.

Saihara tries to choke back his tears but they spill anyway. He muffles his quiet sobs with a pillow on his face. He doesn't understand why he's getting so worked up about this. He lets himself grieve for a few minutes before pulling himself together. This was why Akamatsu always treated him like he was a frail child, how can he expect being treated otherwise when he only ever showed how weak he was. He suddenly remembered he still hasn't changed out of his exercise clothes and quickly gets out of bed. He doesn't really want Tojo to have a hard time with washing his clothes, and beddings for that matter.

He was halfway putting on a fresh t-shirt when his text message alert tone takes his attention, his phone lighting up on his bedside.

 

–

11:46PM

Bad, bad Bitch ♫꒰･◡･๑꒱

**I'm so tired of dealing with them**

 

Wowow already?? lol

 

**ugh you know I love them all**

 

yea I know

 

**but I Need A Break**

**Hey are you still there**

 

yes im here calm yo tits

yknow we could do That

 

**wait really?? are u sure**

 

I dont mind! anything for u

 

**thats so gay**

 

so are u game

 

**YES HUHUHU ily thank you i owe you lots**

 

you know what I want (✿´ ꒳ ` )

 

**EXCEPT THAT!**

 

huehuehue (•̀⌄•́)

–

The grin on Akamatsu's face grows wider. She currently lay on her bed, her small portable piano beside her and sheet music strewn across her mattress. She had been playing a few pieces but proved to be too distracted from ever focusing on her music before deciding to text the person. She's excited to have this short break from dealing with her rambunctious classmates. She loves them all dearly, but getting roped into whatever problem that manages to rise up every week is taxing for her.

Currently, she's dealing with being a supposed untrustworthy friend that outed Amami's apparent interest in Iidabashi via social media. She never told anyone when Amami graced her with the information, only ever privately teasing the adventurer whenever they had manicure sessions. Akamatsu can deal with Amami's incessant and not so subtle teasing of her crush on Tojo, but it's extremely grating to her that the adventurer was resigned to the belief that she was the one who sent the confession to HPA confessions. She would never betray his trust even if it was to get back at him for his constant teasing. She's aware she shouldn't be this upset with him, but he didn't even give her a chance to prove that she was telling the truth.

Akamatsu doesn't think she could ever face Amami without easily snapping at him over the course of the weekend and it doesn't help given the light tension surrounding them as a class never left them since last week. She just badly needs a breather so she can clear her head.

 

–

_04/28/2018 12:02PM_

**Shirogane Tsumugi to Amami Rantaro**

**Mastermind** : awww you finally got the courage to confess! anonymously but thats a start

 **Survivor** : mugi I didnt send that and im scared when saihara-kun figures it out

 **Mastermind** : wh

 **Survivor** : im not ready for this

 **Survivor** : i had plans to eventually confess to iidabashi-kun when im ready

 **Survivor** : but now its ruined

 **Mastermind** : I'm so sorry!

 **Survivor** : did u send the confession?

 **Mastermind** : of course not I would never do that to you

 **Survivor** : okay, I trust you

 **Survivor** : i guess that means akamatsu-san did it

 **Mastermind** : akamatsu-san doesn't strike me as someone who'd do that!

 **Survivor** : well who could have done it, only the two of you know

 **Mastermind** : well frankly I dont really know akamatsu-san that well

 **Mastermind** : maybe she was trying to get back at you for teasing her so much with tojo-san?

 **Survivor** : aw crap of course

 **Survivor** : ok i'll talk to her

 **Survivor** : let's get icecream tomorrow?

 **Mastermind** : ofc!!!

 **Survivor** : thanks mugi ur a good friend

_Read 10:51PM_

–

Shirogane fidgets in her seat while rereading her conversation with Amami earlier countless of times. Her laptop was on the desk in front of her, apparently forgotten, while she stares intently at her phone. She was rewatching (or rather _tried to rewatch_ ) Avatar the Last Airbender in an effort to get her mind on something else other than that conversation. The cosplayer hardly considers herself cunning but that attitude of hers just surfaces in conjunction with her cowardice.

Amami was a good friend, and he deserved some love too. For all his good looks and enigmatic personality, he could never score a genuine date since he looked like a player. Most people assume such since he had so many piercings and Shirogane thinks it's absurd to get an impression like that simply from such physical appearance. So when Amami confides to her that he had a crush on Iidabashi but reluctant to confess, she decides to give him a little push by sending the anonymous confession to HPA confessions on his behalf.

She never really meant to hide that she was the one who sent the confession but her bestfriend was not taking this kindly, a reaction in contrast to what she expected. In her effort get herself off his suspicion, she deflects the blame on Akamatsu, who certainly did not deserve this. She knew Amami trusted her completely and guilt was gnawing her for taking advantage of it. She needed to fix this, but she doesn't know how to without outing herself as an awful friend. It's selfish of her, but Amami was her only close friend and she didn't want to ruin that. Not to mention that the moment Akamatsu finds out she was the one who actually outed Amami's feelings and it spreads to the class, she's going to be lynched for sure.

Shirogane slams her head on the table. _I royally fucked this up even more._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at all that pining!~  
> I know I teased some possible ships (Oumota & Kaemaki) but what's tagged is set in stone ;c;  
> it was mostly a reference to the other ships i kinda like :3
> 
> I honestly don't know where I'm going with this but it's going... somewhere.  
> I don't even know why I update this frequently lol
> 
> (Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated!)


	10. I: Happy Weeksary to the First Ever Class '79 Discourse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A relatively peaceful Saturday to start a hopefully relatively peaceful weekend of class '79.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ack, sorry for not updating the soonest  
> this was actually drafted back when i last updated (july 30) but uh, life happened

_04/28/2018_

**7:30AM Gonta Gokuhara to Nidai Nekomaru**

**Gonta** : Good morning Nidai-sempai!!

 **Nekomaru** : HELLO GONTA-KUN!! GOOD MORNING TO YA TOO

 **Gonta** : Gonta wonders what you've been up to!

 **Gonta** : Gonta saw you pass by the class 79 dorm a while ago!

 **Nekomaru** : OH!!! I JUST GOT BACK FROM MY MORNING JOG!!!

 **Gonta** : That is a healthy habit to have, sempai!

 **Gonta** : Gonta would like to join sometimes!

 **Nekomaru** : YOU ARE VERY WELCOME TO JOIN ME, GONTA-KUN!

 **Nekomaru** : WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN ME ON MY JOG TOMORROW?

 **Gonta** : Yes, please! Gonta would love to!

 **Nekomaru** : GOOD!!! I'M USUALLY UP BY 6:30AM!!

 **Nekomaru** : IF THAT'S TOO EARLY WE CAN ALWAYS ADJUST IT TO A LATER TIME!!

 **Gonta** : Gonta doesn't mind!

 **Nekomaru** : OK!!! SEE YOU AT THE QUAD!

 **Gonta** : Gonta looks forward to tomorrow!

–

Gokuhara leaves his room with a wide smile. The prospect of going on a somewhat date with Nidai was making him giddy. But now, Gokuhara needed to address something and he needed Tojo's help. He makes his way downstairs to the kitchen, where he finds the maid grilling a slab of beef. They exchange pleasantries before Gokuhara takes some milk from the fridge. Tojo offers him an empty glass before he could get one from cabinet and he graciously accepts. Gokuhara sometimes wonders how Tojo manages to be perfect with her services. He pours himself a glass of milk, briefly offering some to Tojo to which she politely shakes her head, and takes two gulps before he gets on to business.

“Tojo-san, can you help Gonta make a cake?” he asks.

“It would be my pleasure, Gokuhara-san.” Tojo replies. “When do you need it?”

Gokura finishes the glass of milk. “Before lunchtime!”

Tojo quickly masks her startled expression. “I'm afraid it's not possible for me to bake you a cake at that time, Gokuhara-san. May I know what you need the cake for? So I may adjust my list of tasks in degree of importance.”

Gokuhara sets the empty glass in the sink and misses Tojo slightly wincing as he does. “No, no! Tojo-san won't bake the cake! Gonta will, but he's not very good...” The maid just tilts her head, her face with an expectant expression, urging him to continue. “Gonta wants to bake everyone a cake! For the trouble last night with Saihara-kun and Iidabashi-kun! Gonta feels bad that Saihara-kun guessed wrong and making it awkward with Iidabashi-kun.”

Tojo releases a soft sigh and gives Gokuhara a small smile. “I see, and you only want me to help you with baking the cake?”

“Yes! Tojo-san doesn't have to do much! Gonta knows you're very busy! Just maybe give Gonta some pointers?” The entomologist excitedly replies.

The maid glances at the wall clock beside the fridge then turns to Gokuhara, who was now looking into the pantry for ingredients. “Alright Gokuhara-san, just give me an hour to finish a few other tasks and we can start baking.” Gokuhara beams at her.

–

**8:16AM Yumeno Himiko to Chabashira Tenko**

**Mage** : tenkoooooo when are u comin back here

 **Fighter** : In awhile, yumeno-chan!! tenko still isn't done with her morning exercises

 **Mage** : hurry up im lonely on the bed

 **Fighter** : ah!! maybe you should join tenko sometime so you wont feel lonely there

 **Mage** : its too early so,, no thx

 **Fighter** : come on yumeno-chan!! its not good to be so cooped up in your room all the time

 **Mage** : nyeh

 **Mage** : ill think abt it

–

Chabashira pockets her phone in her shorts. Yumeno can really be a handful sometimes despite being extremely sluggish. The aikido master thinks she's making progress though, she's sure to bring out a more active side of the magician sooner or later. Chabashira stretches her limbs above her head and lets out a grunt.

The sun was shining brightly, its warm rays touching everything in sight, fluffy white clouds decorate a sky of vivid cerulean, a flock of birds sing melodies as they fly over the tall trees casting soft shadows and a soft bustle of the city can be heard at a distance. Chabashira appreciates beautiful mornings like this, and that definition meant not running into one of the boys. Chabashira never attempted to hide her obvious dislike towards the boys except with Gokuhara, but she does have some respect towards Saihara, being Akamatsu's bestfriend and someone who doesn't seem to be as awful as the other boys. This week has been stressful, because she had to play nice with the menaces after promising to do so during the talk last Monday. She squats while extending both her arms in front of her body, holds the position for a few seconds before standing upright and swinging her limbs to her sides. She repeats the motion a few more times.

Her thoughts drift to her close companions, Yumeno and Yonaga, remembering a conversation with them in light of last week's issue. She really did ought to explain why she has a poor opinion on men, at least to both girls for now. Chabashira has been rehearsing her lines, but it always devolved into profanities and incoherent venting. _The screams, the resounding slap, the loud cries for help, his billowing laugh, her mother's moans of agony..._

Chabashira shuts her eyes and wills the painful thoughts away. Before she even noticed, tears were streaming down her face. From her squatting position she was now on her knees, her hands covering her face as she sobbed while her body slightly trembled as emotion poured out of her.

“What is wrong, Chabashira?” a gruff female voice from behind startles the aikido master. A sob hitches in her throat making her cough while she scrambles to stand, her left hand pushing up her weight while the other hastily wipes off tears on her face. She turns to face two of her upperclassmen, Ogami and Owari, the Ultimate Martial Artist and Ultimate Gymnast respectively.

“Ogami-san, Owari-san! Wha—G-Good morning!” Chabashira manages to say.

“Hey hey, why the long face Pinwheel? Do we gotta beat up some punks for ya?” Owari reaches out and places a hand on Chabashira's shoulder, and the shorter girl flinches.

“No-not like that!” the aikido master giggles “Tenko can beat them up herself anyway.”

Owari grins at her display of spunk while Ogami narrows her eyes, but doesn't say anything. “What're ya doin this early in the mornin'?” the gymnast asks.

Chabashira wrings her hands. “Tenko was just doing her morning exercises!”

“Cool, cool! Us too! Tell ya what, why doncha join me and ogre here in the mornings?” Owari grins while she pats the aikido master's shoulders.

“We would be happy to have you.” Ogami adds. Chabashira bites her lip for a moment before nodding.

“Tenko would be glad to join you both!” she gives them a genuine smile, the source of her crying somewhat forgotten.

–

**8:24AM Momota Kaito to Harukawa Maki**

**Spaceidiot** : hey harumaki!!! u awake?

 **Harumaki** : i am now, thanks for annoying me to awakeness

 **Spaceidiot** : why do u gotta be mean this early!!!

 **Harumaki** : you should be used to this by now

 **Spaceidiot** : sigh i know

 **Harumaki** : cant believe you just sighed over text

 **Spaceidiot** : now ur making fun of me this early!!

 **Harumaki** : youre such a child

 **Spaceidiot** : :<

 **Harumaki** : what do you want

 **Spaceidiot** : was thinking we could go out later!!

 **Spaceidiot** : theres this cool pizza place nearby

 **Spaceidiot** : lezzgo harumaki!!

 **Spaceidiot** : harumaki?

 **Spaceidiot** : u still there?

 **Spaceidiot** : dont just seen me!!!

 **Spaceidiot** : :((((

 **Spaceidiot** : spaceman to harumaki, do u copy?

 **Harumaki** : no

 **Spaceidiot** : awwwwwwww why???

 **Harumaki** : i dont want to

 **Spaceidiot** : i juz wanna hang out :c

 **Spaceidiot** : guess ill juz go ask sai

 **Harumaki** : fine i'll go

 **Spaceidiot** : :D rly!!!??

 **Harumaki** : dont make me change my mind

 **Spaceidiot** : okay okay jeez

 **Spaceidiot** : cool! See ya harumaki!

 **Spaceidiot** : 3pm later!

 **Harumaki** : fine

–

Momota pumps his fist in the air. He makes a little victory dance, silently mouthing “yes” several times while randomly moving around his arms trying to resemble a dance move. He just got out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but his boxers and his long hair still damp, droplets of water scattering as he moves around. _Progress! Progress with Harumaki!_  

Harukawa hasn't been spending that much time with him recently, and he never outwardly showed that it bothered him. Getting her to hang out with him was something he considered a small victory.

He puts on a grey tanktop and some black shorts before skipping to his dresser. He styles his goatee, meticulously combing it with his exclusive goatee comb. Next, he styles his hair, applying a very generous amount of hair gel and combing it upwards into tall spikes. He spends a good hour and half doing such a feat.

Afterwards, he exits his room and races downstairs, greeting Shinguji when he passes him on his way to the kitchen. Yonaga and Akamatsu are having breakfast while Gokuhara enthusiastically waits for the cake batter to rise in the oven. “Morning guys!” Momota greets and receives a chorus of replies from Yonaga and Gokuhara. Akamatsu wasn't as attentive, and he gently taps her shoulder to get her attention. She gasps and turns to him, muttering a rushed apology and a chirpy good morning.

Momota grabs a plate and takes a helping of mashed potatoes, green beans and one whole grilled steak. He takes a seat beside Akamatsu who was finishing up her breakfast. “What's the rush Akamatsu?”

“Oh, I was meeting someone today. I'm a bit late already.” Akamatsu replies while bringing her finished plate to the sink. She was halfway toward the doorway when she suddenly turns heel and grabs her plate from the sink along with other glassware, then placing them inside the dishwasher. “Don't forget to clean up, okay!” She finally says as she leaves.

“Okay, other mother!” Yonaga chirps.

Momota chuckles and continues eating. He doesn't really want to start a conversation with Yonaga, they're not very close and frankly, she terrifies him with her uncanny devotion to a strange god. It's not the same case for Yonaga, because she looks at him and smiles. “So, Kaito! You look happy today! Care to share with Angie on why that is?”

The hairs on the back of his neck stand as he shudders. _This woman is absolutely terrifying!_ Momota rubs his cheek sheepishly. “It's just a good morning, y'know! A good morning to be happy!”

“Oh, Angie understands! Truly this is a good day, as Atua says!” Yonaga clasps her hands together.

“Atua thinks so too, huh...” Momota says in between bites, and he can't help but inwardly agree.

–

_11:45AM_

**Top stories**

**Still no suspects on the Mafia Massacre of ________ prefecture**  
The Akita Express . 16 hours ago

 **Recent Mafia Massacre called the most violent crime in modern era**  
The Global Times . 1 day ago

 **Still no word from sole survivor of Mafia Massacre**  
HTN . 20 hours ago

–

Hoshi fiddles with the edges of his hoodie while he idly sits on a bench in an isolated part of the courtyard near the dorms. He takes the cigarette from his mouth and blows out a puff of white smoke. He shouldn't be really smoking inside school premises but rules and the law never really stopped him from doing anything before.

He swings his short legs freely as he quietly observes his surroundings, occasionally exhaling fumes when necessary. He sits in quiet contemplation for awhile, his peace only broken when he spots Akamatsu slip out of the dorms in a hurry. The tennis player smiles. _With everything she's been going through since the start of classes, she deserves a break._ Hoshi recalls the altercation last week and how much it has affected their class dynamics. It's been mostly good, everyone seems to be more considerate of each other's feelings and personal space, but in turn they've been walking on eggshells around one another.

He supposes that was what happens when you put a band aid over a gaping wound. It's not his business to fix anyway. He puffs out some smoke, coughing a little.

“You shouldn't really be smoking here.” Hoshi doesn't have to look at his uninvited guest to know that the heir of the Kuzuryu Clan was talking to him from his recognizable baritone voice alone.

“Hello to you too, boss.” The tennis player nonchalantly greets. Kuzuryu snorts in response. The yakuza takes a seat next to Hoshi and they sit in silence for awhile.

“Heard about your family...” Kuzuryu slowly says.

Hoshi takes the cigarette out of his mouth and points it towards the blonde, narrowing his eyes. “I'm not talking about it.”

Kuzuryu calmly shrugs. “Was just trying to offer help.” That catches Hoshi's full attention and he turns his whole body towards the yakuza. Kuzuryu smirks. “Oh, so now I have your attention, huh?”

“Don't play with me, I don't care if you're the heir of a yakuza clan. So, you actually offering help or just trying to waste my time?” Hoshi doesn't break eye contact while he taps his cigarette with a finger to get rid of the excess ash.

Kuzuryu mentally praises the smaller boy for his grit, his smirk turning menacing “I never talk shit.” Hoshi returns a dark grin of his own.

–

**12:39PM The Holy Trinity**

**The Mother** : Daily Prayer to Atua

 **The Mother** : Helloooo friends~~ Angie would like to invite you to lunch!

 **The Mother** : Please proceed to the kitchen!~~

 **The Mother:** Gonta-kun even has a lovely surprise~

 **The Mother** : **@The Daughter @The Holy Spirit**

 **The Daughter** : ok

 **The Holy Spirit** : my precious boy with a surprise?? tenko will be right over!

–

“Yahoo! Now everyone's here!” Yonaga exclaims when Saihara trudges into the kitchen and stands beside Momota. “Ah, except Kaede since she had to go somewhere.” The kitchen was so crowded, with all of them sans Akamatsu gathered in a relatively small space.

“Why gather us, Yonaga?” Harukawa spares no time for small talk.

Yonaga spins around to face the sullen assassin, laughing her trademark cackle. “Why, so we can eat together of course!” Harukawa crosses her arms.

“No offense Yonaga but we can't exactly fit sixteen-- fifteen people in here.” Hoshi speaks up, rolling the dummy cigarette in his mouth. Yonaga merely laughs again. She gestures for everyone to get a plate, and some of them share each other an odd look before following suit.

The lunch Tojo prepared was braised chicken and pork belly, mixed vegetables, and steamed rice. Each student get their part of the meal before picking a free spot in the kitchen, awkwardly standing around each other while eating their food in silence. Yonaga, Iruma, Chabashira, Yumeno, Shirogane and (reluctantly) Tojo were the only ones seated at the dining table and naturally Ouma throws a fit about it, only feigning to relent when Chabashira scolds him. The extroverted ones in their class start conversations with anyone near their vicinity, but all in all they weren't that rowdy.

When the majority is done with their meal, Yonaga calls their attention again. “Heyyoooo, so like, the main purpose Angie gathered everyone here was actually because Gonta has a surprise!!” She makes gestures towards Gokuhara, who gets flustered from the attention. “Take it away, Gonta!”

Gokuhara carefully takes a cake out the fridge and places it on the dining table. The white frosting covering the cake was a bit messy and on top were the words “Gonta is sorry” scrawled with red icing. Most of the class exchanged bewildered looks. Iruma was the first to make a comment “What in fuck's name is--”

Yonaga clamps a hand on the inventor's mouth shut and whispers something in her ear making her pale and shiver. The artist clears her throat and beams at Gokuhara, and he takes that as a signal to speak his intentions.

“Gonta made this cake for everyone! To apologize for last night! Gonta doesn't want Saihara-kun to feel bad he guessed wrong and for Iidabashi-kun to feel no one likes him!” By the time Gokuhara was finished, Saihara was in the brink of tears along with some others in the class and Iidabashi was rendered speechless.

\--

_2:05PM_

**starlord** : hey guys

 **notto disu shitto agen** : wot

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : What is it, Momo-kun?

 **chaotic lesbean** : ugh this better be important

 **starlord** : what do ya think gozu-sensei's first name is?

 **imma meme** : uhhh what do U think?

 **starlord** : great?

 **chaotic lesbean** : facepalm

 **ShirogaNYA** : hhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 **Maki Roll** : ffs momota

 **notto disu shitto agen** : u no longer have a right to speak, momota-chan

 **Mother Knows Best** : Ah, as expected of my dumbest son.

 **imma meme** : im dYING HAJDDKADAH

**Do You Believe In Magic scored 314 points playing basketball.**

**chaotic lesbean** : oh, yumeno-chan just issued a challenge!!

 **imma meme** : oh its on lil mage

 **starlord** : HAHAAAA OH YEAH

–

Yumeno taps on her phone as she lay on Chabashira's lap while lounging in the living room. Occasionally, the aikido master would feed her some butter cookies, freshly baked by Tojo. A contented sigh escapes the magician's lips. She just wants everything to remain like this, a lovely afternoon with nothing to do but relax. Not that she wasn't doing a lot of relaxing before but she liked being with Chabashira. Yumeno thinks they are a weird pair, with her being slothful while her partner was very energetic, but they make it work.

Yumeno plays a few more rounds of Messenger basketball before finally setting aside her phone and sitting up. “Hey we got homework to do, right? Let's do it now.”

Chabashira gives her a confused look, then places her hand on the small girl's forehead trying to check her temperature. “Are you feeling alright, Yumeno-chan? Do you need to take medicine?”

Yumeno groans and playfully swats away the taller girl's arm. “Tenkoooo, I'm being serious.”

The aikido master smiles at her and stands up to make her way upstairs. “Okay, I'll go get our books and notebooks!” Yumeno nods, taking a cookie from the plate. The magician realizes too late that she should have offered getting their school materials instead, she was trying to be active after all but it seems her thought process was just as sluggish as her movements.

Chabashira returns after some time and sets their books and notebooks on the living room table, “Okay Yumeno-chan, where should we start first?”

“Math.” Yumeno dryly replies.

Chabashira cups her cheeks with both palms and laments “Ah, I'm not really good with Math! Tenko apologizes in advance that she won't be very helpful.”

“We'll be fine. We'll help each other.” The magician flips through her notebook, and blushes when she sees that she barely has any notes. Chabashira laughs and lends her notebook to the smaller girl. They were halfway with math homework when Akamatsu comes back.

“Welcome back, Akamatsu-san!” Chabasira greets. Akamatsu looks around for a moment before looking at the aikido master, giving her a short wave and a simple 'hey.' Yumeno waves back in acknowledgement.

Akamatsu goes upstairs and they both return their focus on homework, taking a bite out of cookies in spontaneous intervals. Before long, they are done with math, then english and finally, science. Yumeno's brain is tired, but she's somehow happy. She gives Chabashira a tired but genuine smile, “Thanks Tenko.”

Chabashira tilts her head quizzically. “What for? If anything, you helped Tenko! You're very smart, Yumeno-chan!”

The magician merely shrugs. “Just... thanks.”

–

_5:26PM_

**What meme best describes you? Take this quiz to find out! >>**

**7th Asteroid to enter Uranus could shatter it! Read full story >>**

**A rare species of hedgehogs scientists called Sanec have been discovered! Read more >>**

–

After shoving the last scoop of icecream in her mouth, Shirogane makes a beeline for the restroom. Amami was mindlessly scrolling through his feed when he notices Shirogane was no longer sitting across him. He whips his head around to look for her when the cashier gets his attention and she points to the direction of the restroom. Amami gives her a sheepish smile for her trouble, and she swoons. Nothing is really registering to him since earlier, as he keeps thinking about his inevitable confession to Iidabashi. He self-consciously checks the class 79 groupchat for updates on Saihara's “investigation” and so far, it hasn't been brought up. Maybe he could go through this weekend without embarrassing himself in front of Iidabashi after all.

He already made peace with Akamatsu, but isn't sure how she's faring since she hasn't talked to him all. He supposes he should give her some space, which is odd because she was the one who wronged him in the first place. Amami brushes off any more thoughts about it and returns to mindlessly scrolling through his feed.

Shirogane returns and she taps him on the shoulder, gesturing they leave. The ice cream place was a short walk from Hope's Peak Academy, but Amami purposely slows their pace. The adventurer drapes his arm around the cosplayer's shoulders and in turn, Shirogane wraps her arm behind Amami's waist.

“Something bothering you, Taro?” Shirogane prompts. Amami slowly shakes his head and they continue their walk in silence.

They were past Hope's Peak's gates and on the way to the dorm wing when Amami speaks, “M'thinking about the confession...” Shirogane tenses and sucks in a breath. The adventurer obviously noticed this. “Hey, what's the matter?”

“Nothing! Nothing!” Shirogane blurts out. “What about the confession?”

Amami raises an eyebrow at her but doesn't prod. “Nothing in particular. Just thinking about it.”

Shirogane lets out a huff. “You're unbelievable.” The adventurer just lets out a low chuckle. He doesn't really want to overthink anything, so it's best if his thoughts don't focus on it. They reach their dorm by nightfall, and just in time for dinner.

 


	11. I: Movie Night Proceeds As Planned(?)!!

_04/29/2018_

**6:16AM Yonaga Angie to Iruma Miu**

**AtuasGrace** : Miuuu~~

 **Heretic** : wat do u want anjizz its so fckin early

 **AtuasGrace** : Angie just wanted to know if you gave Kirumi-san Angie's favorite jacket that you accidentally poured paint on last Wednesday~

 **AtuasGrace** : Angie doesnt know why you insisted to wash it yourself and not bothering to do so yesterday~~

 **AtuasGrace** : ~or today

 **AtuasGrace** : soooo Angie suggests you just give the jacket to Kirumi-san since it's laundry day today!!~

 **AtuasGrace** : Miuuuuu??~~

 **AtuasGrace** : did you die?~

–

Iruma stumbles in the laundry area with her soiled clothes and Yonaga's jacket bundled in her arms. Tojo, who was loading clothes in one of the washing machines, spares her a glance when she places her stuff in one of the baskets. Hoshi was nearby, sitting on top of one of the counters, not bothering to greet her. “Well, good morning to ya'll too.” Iruma hisses.

“Good morning, Iruma-san.” Tojo replies, her delivery stilted and weary. Hoshi says a low 'sup.'

Pleased with the acknowledgement, Iruma makes her way towards one of the cabinets. Behind her, she hears Tojo ask her something about her laundry and she replies something incoherent while trying to pull out a large machine. Tojo was beside her in an instant, offering her assistance, with Hoshi not far behind her. They all haul out what seems to be another washing machine.

Iruma proudly exclaims what the contraption is (a washing machine), proclaiming it as one of her best inventions. A flash of irritation crosses Tojo's features for a moment before it returns to her default impassive facade and does not say anything further. She goes back to her task of doing laundry for the class. Hoshi humors the inventor, “What exactly does this do, Iruma?”

“It helps with washing clothes, duh!!” Iruma confidently replies. She dusts off specks of dirt around the machine with her bare hands.

Hoshi looks pensive, then he smirks. “So, like a washing machine?”

Iruma glares at him, not taking it kindly for her invention to be compared with a common machine. “Fuck no, Hoshit! This isn't just a simple washing machine!” Hoshi chuckles, taking his seat on top of the counter again. Iruma continues, “This can also dry clothes! Two in one!”

Tojo muffles an annoyed groan. Hoshi shoves his hands inside his pockets, leans on the wall behind him and looks straight at Iruma with a playful expression. “So... like a washing machine.”

–

 

 

_7:21AM_

**starlord** : hey  mom **@Mother Knows Best**  i know ur still busy with laundry and wont be able to prepare breakfast early

 **quail egg** : “That is correct.” -tojo

 **starlord** : sooooo im thinkin of makin omelettes for everyone :D

 **notto disu shitto agen** : ew id rather get shot by a poisoned arrow than eat your cooking

 **Maki Roll** : that can be arranged

 **dumb blonde slut** : nyehehehe get rekt

 **notto disu shitto agen** : i suddenly feel unsafe

 **starlord** : correction, i'll be makin omelettes for *almost* everyone

 **quail egg** : tojo says she's cool with that

 **quail egg** : and she's proud you're stepping up to be a responsible son

 **starlord** : aww rly :D

 **quail egg** : no not really, she actually hates being called a mom

 **quail egg** : but she just rolls with it

 **imma meme** : why do i have a feeling mom might murder us all one day

 **bitch I am the WAY** : I do not doubt it!~

 **bitch I am the WAY** : It will be just as the Prophecy foretold~~

 **imma meme** : wwat

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Nevermind that~ Anyway, Angie is very excited to try out Kaito's eggs~~

 **dumb blonde slut** : ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 **notto disu shitto agen** : ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 **imma meme** : ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 **starlord** : uhhh yonaga u might wanna rephrase that

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Nah~

 **bitch I am the WAY** : See you all at breakfast!~

 **starlord** : im starting to regret this decision

 **quail egg** : ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 **starlord** : not u too hoshi

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I, for one, am quite excited!

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I have never tasted an 'omelette' before.

 **imma meme** : aww :(

 **starlord** : im gonna make the best dang omelettes u never got to have then kibs!!

–

 **Kork** : Momota-kun, those were the best fried beaten eggs I have ever devoured in my life!

 **Maki Roll** : he means omelette

 **dumb blonde slut** : ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 **notto disu shitto agen** : ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 **imma meme** : ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 **starlord** : ugh not again

 **starlord** : but uhhh thanks shinguji

 **starlord** : u coulda just told me in person tho,

 **starlord** : i'm sitting in front of u

 **dumb blonde slut** : omg is shitgucci still devouring your fried beaten eggs

 **notto disu shitto agen** : and the porno thickens

 **Kork** : …

 **starlord** : oh fuck off

 **dumb blonde slut** : eep sorry

 **Kork** : I'm aware of that, but it just felt imperative that I express this fondness in class! Beauty such as your immaculate omelettes must be reveled in public.

 **imma meme** : he's rite tho

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I agree with Shinguji-kun's sentiments wholeheartedly! Your omelette will be the standard to beat the next time I have some.

 **starlord** : wow thats

 **starlord** : um

 **starlord** : really nice, guys

 **Kork** : It was my pleasure.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : did it make you cry momota-chan

 **starlord** : pffft no

 **Maki Roll** : he's crying rn

 **starlord** : HARUMAKI HOW COULD YOU

 **notto disu shitto agen** : nishishishi i hope you got that recorded

 **Maki Roll** : nope

 **starlord** : ofc she wouldnt! Hah!!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : it's fine, i'll just get the footage from the nanny cams i set up around the dorm

 **imma meme** : oof

 **starlord** : YOU SET UP A WHAT

 **Maki Roll** : hm

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Is that... how you used the robot parts you requested me to assemble?

 **notto disu shitto agen** : weeeell i had the blonde slut modify it a bit more

 **Robot Rights Activist** : That is not a nice thing to say about Iruma-san!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : amused that you immediately equate blonde slut to iruma-chan

 **imma meme** : i mean, her chat nickname is...

 **dumb blonde slut** : who ya callin a blonde slut

 **dumb blonde slut** : you

 **notto disu shitto agen** : i'm what? go on

 **dumb blonde slut** : eek

 **Treblemaker** : Okaaay, I'm going to step in now.

 **Treblemaker** : This is too early for dealing with a shitstorm.

 **Mother Knows Best** : ^

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Good morning, mothers!

 **Treblemaker** : Morning, Yonaga-san. And everyone else who is online, I guess.

 **Treblemaker** : And since when was I a class mom??

 **notto disu shitto again** : the day you were voted class rep and bossed us around

 **Treblemaker** : I don't boss you all around!

 **Treblemaker** : Not nearly as much as I would like, anyway.

 **dumb blonde slut** : what are ya insinuating bakamatsu

 **starlord** : wow thats a big word, iruma

 **dumb blonde slut** : duh, i'm a gorgeous genius

 **dumb blonde slut** : I ain't a colossal dumbass like you, astrobitch!!

 **Treblemaker** : Okay, enough of this. Can't you both just, hug it out or whatever.

 **imma meme** : such a hippie thing to say

 **notto disu shitto agen** : ehhh cmon akamatsu-chan you know we're just joking around

 **Treblemaker** : I can't be that certain on what everyone's demeanor is while chatting, jeez.

 **ShirogaNYA** : that's true, we don't normally see anyone's facial expression while chatting (unless you're in a room with them)

 **ShirogaNYA** : but don't worry Akamatsu-san! They're just joking around right now

 **starlord** : how do you know that

 **dumb blonde slut** : yea four eyes, youre not even in the same room as me

 **starlord** : nor me

 **ShirogaNYA** : I just know, I'm not bound by four walls ;)

 **starlord** : shes at it again!!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : did you set up nanny cams across the dorm too, shirogane-chan

 **Treblemaker** : Riiight, I'll just take your word for it Shirogane-san.

 **Treblemaker** : I trust you.

 **ShirogaNYA** : um

_**ShirogaNYA** went offline_

**Treblemaker** : Huh?

 **Treblemaker** : Did I say something wrong?

 **notto disu shitto agen** : everything you say is wrong

 **chaotic lesbean** : OKAY TENKO WILL F UCKING PUNT YOU TO THE SUN

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : tenkoooo

 **chaotic lesbean** : ohmygoshtenkoissorry

 **bitch I am the WAY** : cute~

 **dumb blonde slut** : yeeeaaaa a fuckin threesome

 **dumb blonde slut** : got another room for one more

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Atua says no~~

 **Maki Roll** : i hate this class

 **starlord** : you dont really mean that

 **Maki Roll** : shut up

 **Treblemaker** : What even is this class

 **Mother Knows Best** : Proof that god is dead.

 **Kork** : My sentiments exactly.

 **quail egg** : that's a bit extreme

 **quail egg** : we're just a class of dysfunctional psychopaths

 **Kork** : On second thought, that is the best descriptor.

 **Treblemaker** : Okaaaaay, kids, you all need to lighten up.

–

 **Good Noodle** : Hello, everyone!!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : my crops are thriving

 **notto disu shitto agen** : my skin is clear

 **notto disu shitto agen** : my grades are up

 **Maki Roll** : hey gokuhara

 **notto disu shitto agen** : there is world peace

 **notto disu shitto agen** : ffs harukawa-chan you ruined it

 **Maki Roll** : go die

 **Treblemaker** : No one is dying!!

 **Treblemaker** : Hello, Gokuhara-kun :)

 **chaotic lesbean** : our precious non-degenerate male, hello!!

 **quail egg** : yo

 **dumb blonde slut** : heyya big boi

 **dumb blonde slut** : wanna choke me with those big stronk arms

 **Good Noodle** : Uh, Gonta will pass on that, Iruma-san!

 **dumb blonde slut** : can't blame a girl for trying

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Greetings, Gonta-kun.

 **bitch I am the WAY** : hello, gontaaaa~~

 **Kork** : A pleasant afternoon, Gonta-kun.

 **imma meme** : hiya gonta-kun

 **Good Noodle** : Gonta appreciates the pleasantries!

 **Good Noodle** : Gonta hasn't talked much on the groupchat because he is shy.

 **Good Noodle** : And not very good at starting topics...

 **chaotic lesbean** : oh, sweetie

 **Good Noodle** : So Gonta would like to bring up movie night!

 **Good Noodle** : From last week! When we were unable to watch movie!

 **Treblemaker** : That's a great idea, Gonta-kun!

 **imma meme** : uhhh

 **notto disu shitto agen** : ah,,

 **starlord** : we all know whose fault it was

 **chaotic lesbean** : hmph

 **quail egg** : don't start with that one again

 **Good Noodle** : Oh, Gonta is sorry!

 **Kork** : Do not fret, Gonta-kun. They don't mean you.

 **Kork** : This is about the, Bee Movie, I presume?

 **Good Noodle** : Yes! Gonta was hoping all of us would watch together!

 **chaotic lesbean** : of course!!

 **chaotic lesbean** : noone's bailing out or i'm breaking some legs

 **starlord** : noted

 **Mother Knows Best** : I shall prepare the lounge area then. Any snack requests for later?

 **notto disu shitto agen** : popcorn!

 **Good Noodle** : Oh, Gonta wants popcorn too!

 **imma meme** : yaaaaas, just make it big bowl, mom!

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Nachos please! With Garlic Mayo dip~~

 **chaotic lesbean** : oh me too! but tenko wants the cheesy dip with ground beef!

 **starlord** : some soft tacos for me, mom!

 **Kork** : I would like some Cranberry juice and blueberry wafers.

 **Treblemaker** : Wait wait holdup

 **Treblemaker** : We are not making Tojo-san prepare all that!

 **Good Noodle** : Ah, Gonta is sorry again!

 **Mother Knows Best** : It's no trouble at all, I assure you.

 **starlord** : mom can handle it, akamatsu! believe in her!!

 **Treblemaker** : I know she can, but this is... abuse.

 **Treblemaker** : We don't even pay her.

 **Mother Knows Best** : That is true.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : hypothetically, how much would you charge us, mom

 **Mother Knows Best** : 10,000,000 Yen each, plus your souls.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : /sweats

 **imma meme** : wrow, it's a good thing mom doesn't charge us then

 **Treblemaker** : Still! This is, like, unpaid child labor!!

 **Mother Knows Best** : Please understand, Akamatsu-san, I am happy to be of service.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : see, it'll be fine akamatsu-chan

 **Treblemaker** : I'll let this slide for now, but I need volunteers to help me aid Tojo-san in preparing the lounge.

 **Maki Roll** : I'll help.

 **starlord** : alright, me too then!

 **notto disu shitto agen** changed **starlord** to **Maki Roll's Bitch**

 **Maki Roll's Bitch** : yoU FUCKING BASTARD

 **quail egg** : harukawa just heavily sighed

 **quail egg** : just so you all know how exasperated she is

 **Maki Roll** changed **Maki Roll's Bitch** to **White Knight In Shining Armor**

 **chaotic lesbean** : LOL

 **imma meme** : wow that shade

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : eyyy, this is cool

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : thanks harumaki!!

 **Treblemaker** : …

 **dumb blonde slut** : HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAH

 **notto disu shitto agen** : noone tell him

 **Kork** : Agreed.

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : ??

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I do not quite understand too.

 **chaotic lesbean** : anyway, tenko will help too!!

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : me too,,, but just for a little bit

 **notto disu shitto agen** : !!!!!!

 **Kork** : Truly uncanny.

 **Treblemaker** : Great! I'll see you guys downstairs.

–

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : hey uh has anyone seen saihara today

 **notto disu shitto agen** : hes not in his room thats for sure

 **notto disu shitto agen** : been staying in his room since earlier

 **notto disu shitto agen** : its lonely on his bed :(

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I believe that is a breaching of privacy.

 **imma meme** : seriously??

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : get tf out his room

 **Maki Roll** : saihara's fine, he's been sleeping in akamatsu's room

 **dumb blonde slut** : daaaamn, bakamatsuuu

 **notto disu shitto agen** : D:<

 **Treblemaker** : Yeah! It's just one of his off days.

 **Treblemaker** : Please understand, **@chaotic lesbean**! Don't break his legs, or something.

 **chaotic lesbean** : tenko will let it slide, for now

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : oh cool, can I come visit him

 **Treblemaker** : Of course! Uh... if you can get past Chabashira-san, that is.

 **chaotic lesbean** : give it your best shot, degenerate

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : aww man

 **notto disu shitto agen** : why couldnt he have slept in my room huuuuu

 **imma meme** : coz you're obviously not saihara-san's designated comfort person

 **Treblemaker** : Exactly! For now anyway.

 **dumb blonde slut** : what gives piano idiot, youve been vaguely implying shit since earlier

 **Treblemaker** : Don't read too much into it, Iruma-san.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : uwu

 **Mother Knows Best** : It is almost 5pm, Gokuhara-san requests that you all make your way downstairs to the lounge for the 'movie night.'

 **imma meme** : alright, mom!!

 **Treblemaker** : **@Good Noodle** Shui's gonna sit this one out, I hope that's okay.

 **Good Noodle** : That's no problem at all, Akamatsu-san! Gonta understands!

 

–

4:53PM

Dear Sister

Kiyo, have you had snacks yet?

**Not yet, I'm afraid.**

Have you been eating well there?  
I can bring you something today.

**We are well fed here, please do not trouble yourself too much.  
We are going to be watching a movie in a while.**

I just worry about you.  
Oh, a class bonding activity? That's nice.  
I'm happy you're getting along well with your peers.

**You worry too much Miyadera.  
I will tell mother you've been spoiling me.**

Haha, sorry. It's just... you know how it is with me.

**Stop that nonsense, you are not dying.**

–

Shinguji sets his cup on a coaster after taking a generous sip of Cranberry juice. He was sitting at the counter, having a good view of the room. Most of his classmates were currently sprawled on the living room floor, watching the coveted 'Bee Movie.' Not everyone was paying attention to the movie as much as Gokuhara, who arranged the whole affair. He doesn't care much about the movie but he wouldn't admit that sentiment out loud lest he wanted to be Chabashira's punching bag. For the anthropologist however, their gathering was a chance for him to observe his classmates without appearing too creepy. Shinguji has been resigned to the fact that he is quite unlikeable from the get-go, with his uncanny habit of just staring at people as they go about their lives. His pedantic rambling also seems to dissuade people from socializing with him for long periods. He takes pride in his ability to notice something unnoticeable and if it means he doesn't get a lot of friends, then so be it.

Shinguji takes a bite from the blueberry wafer. He directs his attention towards Momota, who visibly looks happier than usual. He seems to be paying attention to the movie; his chuckling on cue with a bad joke was an indication. The person beside him, was not amused at all. Despite not making a discernible reaction, Harukawa's attention never left the movie, only ever slightly shifting when Momota accidentally brushes his hand on her. _Interesting..._

Amami and Ouma was seated near the duo, the latter looking so bored out of his mind. Surprisingly, he does not attempt to disrupt the 'movie night,' sitting idly beside Amami and listen to him joke around or whisper quips at Momota. The astronaut obviously bristles at this, but doesn't react abrasively at the smaller boy. Saihara's absence has been affecting the supreme leader, Shinguji surmises. _Ah, so Ouma-kun is quite clingy..._ Amami, on the other hand, was enjoying the movie, mouthing quotes from the movie as they are delivered by the characters while intermittently munching on popcorn.

The anthropologist shifts his gaze on what the class calls “the holy trinity,” composed of Chabashira, Yumeno and Yonaga, who were at the sofa. They are a strange group of friends, since none of them actually have anything in common apart from their sex. Yonaga seemed to be enjoying her nachos more than investing her attention on the movie. Chabashira's gaze is transfixed on the TV screen while letting Yumeno comb her hair. That feat was the most movement he has seen Yumeno do. _How unusual._ He does not look at them for too long, fearing Chabashira might spot him staring.

Shinguji adjusts his position on the high chair. He props one elbow on the counter, fingers tapping carelessly on the wooden surface and crosses his legs. His gaze drifts to Gokuhara and Hoshi, both of them seated nearest to the screen. Gokuhara was rather very invested in the movie to the point he forgets to eat popcorn, while Hoshi merely sat beside him, disinterest plastered on his face. He occasionally takes popcorn from Gokuhara's bowl. The anthropologist wagered that Hoshi likely wished to be elsewhere, but forgone that thought to honor Gokuhara's request. _Fascinating display of kinship!_

Shinguji downs the rest of his drink. Iruma makes a disgruntled noise, catching his attention. He sets the cup on the counter and focuses on the rather odd trio: Iruma, Iidabashi and Shirogane huddled together in a corner. Iruma looks tormented, while her companions seem to be laughing, albeit it's muffled as to not disturb everyone else. Iidabashi comforts the inventor by rubbing circles at her back but was visibly snickering. Shirogane was clutching her stomach, her hand over her mouth to further muffle her wheezing. They were likely off in their own world rather than watching the movie, and now Iruma was suffering from the result of their small conversation. It was no surprise that Iruma and Iidabashi usually hung out together but what was odd the plus one, Shirogane. She normally gravitated toward Amami during a get together like this, but he noticed that the cosplayer has been subtly avoiding Amami... and Akamatsu.

Shinguji immediately scans the room and hones in on the pianist. Akamatsu, along with Tojo, was seated at the far back, on the wooden chairs near the sofa. She watches the movie with mild interest, while the maid pays attention to the TV screen but does not make any reaction towards the movie's absurdity. Then, Akamatsu ever so slightly leans to her side toward Tojo, her head resting on the maid's shoulder. Tojo freezes at the contact, and tries to act as if it doesn't faze her. The pianist holds that position for some time, maintaning such a carefree disposition while the maid could barely contain her distress. Shinguji tries to suppress his smirk (which was hidden behind his mask anyway). He is very much aware of how Tojo fancies the pianist.

Speaking of Akamatsu, she was very strange today. He has spent enough time to observe the Class Rep to know there was something different about her, but the quirks were so minute it was honestly hard to tell if they were real or he was just merely imagining it. Firstly, she was a bit more casual, with the way she speaks, the way she addressed someone's troubles, and the way she acts in general. She was still firm and audacious but there's really that underlying laxness with everything she does. Secondly, there was a subtle lilt in her voice. Shinguji can't really pinpoint it exactly, but he's heard Akamatsu speak enough times to know that there's something different about her voice right now. Thirdly, and perhaps that most damning, Akamatsu was flawlessly flirting with Tojo. Shinguji has noted that the pianist had the tendency to obliviously flirt with any girl, including her crushes but she was especially most nervous when it comes to the maid. Granted that it has only been weeks since they've all known each other, he can't help but feel there was something amiss.

The anthropologist narrows his eyes at Akamatsu and strokes his chin. _Very peculiar..._ He studies the pianist so intently that he barely notices Amami take a seat next to him. “Hey, Gucci.” the adventurer flicks Shinguji's ear. He jolts, hand immediately covering his ear and turns to the green-haired boy who was holding out his teacup, gesturing for a 'cheers.' Shinguji solemnly shakes his head.

“I'm afraid I no longer have any Cranberry juice left.” the anthropologist says. Amami shrugs, clinking his cup to Shinguji's empty one that sits on top of the counter.

“I take it you enjoyed your observation time today?” Amami says, grinning. Shinguji belatedly nods. “You shouldn't always be at the sidelines in your lonesome, you should go talk to someone.”

The anthropologist snorts. “You treat socialization as if it's a requirement. Also, we are watching a movie, I believe we are not supposed to socialize at this time. Besides, I'm talking to you right now, am I not?”

Amami just chuckles and takes a sip of his tea. “You keep looking at Akamatsu-san.”

“I have.” Shinguji isn't one for denial. “She's acting strange today.”

The adventurer decides to observe the pianist for a moment. He grimaces a little while later, but does not provide an explanation. “Strange how?” he asks.

“I can't even begin to explain that.” Shinguji replies.

Akamatsu glances at her phone, texts something and pockets it. She whispers something to Tojo and she nods. The pianist then makes her way to the front door, passing by the duo at the counter. “Hey, Akamatsu-san,” Amami calls out.

She puts on one of her shoes before turning to the adventurer with a smile. “Whassup, Amami-kun?” She doesn't see how Shinguji narrows his eyes at her.

“Can we talk?” Amami says, almost pleadingly.

“Sure! I just need to do a quick errand, my mother delivered me something and I gotta fetch it at the gate.”

“I can go with you.”

“No!” Akamatsu says a bit too forcefully, “Just-- just wait here. I'll be back quickly!” She darts out the front door in a moment.

Amami scratches his head, bewildered. Beside him, Shinguji quips “I told you she's been acting strange.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, I'm setting up the Chapter 2 "Trial" lol
> 
> How long do ya'll think it would take til Kirumi murders them all
> 
> \--  
> nickname guide
> 
> notto disu shitto agen: Ouma  
> The Only Hope For Me Is You: Saihara  
> Treblemaker: Akamatsu  
> bitch I am the WAY: Yonaga  
> starlord/ White Knight In Shining Armor: Momota  
> shirogaNYA: Shirogane  
> Mother Knows Best: Tojo  
> imma meme: Amami  
> Maki Roll: Harukawa  
> Do You Believe In Magic: Yumeno  
> chaotic lesbean: Chabashira  
> Kork: Shinguji  
> Robot Rights Activist: Idabashi  
> dumb blonde slut: Iruma  
> Good Noodle: Gokuhara  
> quail egg: Hoshi


	12. I: Deadly Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saihara reveals the truth, sealing the fate of Akamatsu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thicc-ens
> 
> and as usual, unbeta'd so pardon my grammatical errors ;w;  
> kudos/comments are very appreciated ^^

_4/29/2018_

 

Amami continues making small talk with Shinguji. He absentmindedly drums his fingers on the countertop, his tea nearby, largely forgotten. The anthropologist gives him a look. “You seem nervous, Amami-kun. You were fine a while ago.”

Amami swallows. “Dang, Gucci. You're so... observant. It's terrifying.”

“Nonsense. I just find it easy to notice the shift in one's moods.”

“Again, terrifying.” Amami makes sure to punctuate every syllable of 'terrifying.'

Akamatsu returns a few moments later with four boxes in hand. Amami hops off his seat and takes the boxes from her while she changes from her outdoor footwear, earning him an uneasy 'thank you.' He frowns.

“Took you awhile, we're halfway to the end of the movie.” Amami says, leaning on the doorframe leading to the living room.

Akamatsu straightens up after putting on her indoor slippers. “Sorry, sorry. I had to carry a big package--”

“LOL!” Iruma screams from the lounge. Akamatsu facepalms and groans. “I can't believe she even heard that.” She exasperatedly says, walking into the living room.

Ouma fishes the remote from his pocket and pauses the movie. “Oh, whatchu got there, Akamatsu-chaaan?”

“You didn't have to disrupt the movie time just for this.” Akamatsu says, gesturing Amami to place the boxes on the counter. Ouma bounces toward them.

“Eh, I'm sure Gonta-chan doesn't mind. He's the only one paying attention to the movie anyway.” Ouma says, trying to peek into one of the boxes.

Akamatsu slaps the supreme leader's hand away. “Ouma-kun!”

“It's okay, Akamatsu-san! Gonta is also curious of what's inside the boxes,” Gokuhara says.

“Seeeee.” Ouma says, prying open one of the boxes. “Cupcakes? Ugh, boring.”

Shinguji takes one from the box, inspecting it. “This one has my name on it.” The frosting was white, decorated by a pair of blueberries at the side and what seems to be a gold coin, topped with blue sprinkles and gold flakes. “Not literally, but I suppose this one is intended to be for me.”

Akamatsu sheepishly laughs. “Good eye, Shinguji-kun. You're terrifyingly observant.” Shinguji gives her a polite smile and gingerly returns the cupcake inside the box.

“You got this for us, that's so sweet!” Ouma chirps, rifling through the other box for his cupcake.

“Actually, my mom... baked it for us.” Akamatsu says, shifting her gaze for a moment before scolding Ouma and closing the boxes.

Shinguji feigns a cough. “Your mom really knows us that well then, for her to bake with such specific features in mind.” Akamatsu raises a brow at him.

“I gave her a list of the specifics. She's great at... following instructions. And a great baker too. Now back to movie night!” She snatches the remote from Ouma and unpauses the movie. She was about to make her way to where Tojo was seated when Amami grabs her arm.

“Akamatsu-san, can we... you promised we'd talk after you returned.” the adventurer says, voice low.

Akamatsu releases a sigh, and loosens Amami's grip from her. “I did, but can that wait? Just until after the movie's done.” She whispers back. Amami nods, and the pianist walks off. He was about to take a seat on one of the counter stools when Saihara stumbles down the stairs.

Ouma was by the detective's side immediately while Akamatsu and Momota make their way to them in a frenzy. Tojo immediately goes to the downstairs bathroom to fetch their medical kit. Everyone else eventually left their seats to check up on Saihara.

“I'm alright, guys. Really, I am.” Saihara says as they all crowd around him. Momota helps him stand up. Akamatsu checks his head for any glaring injuries, all the while rambling her worries. “Kaede, stop fussing.”

“Damn Shyhara, what got you so worked up that it made you decide to leave your room?” Iruma says, popcorn in hand.

“Ah, right. Of course! I figured it out!” Saihara makes wild gestures with his free hand, the other was hooked over Momota. “I figured out who shyboi is!”

Amami freezes. Most of the class collectively squealed in delight, prompting and prodding the detective more. He takes a deep breath before smiling uneasily, trying to match the excitement of his classmates. Akamatsu attempts to dissuade the detective from revealing more, only to clam up when Saihara boldly makes the proclamation.

 

“It's Amami-kun!”

 

–

**08:19PM Iidabashi Kiibo to Fujisaki Chihiro**

**Iidabashi Kiibo** : Sempai

 **Fujisaki Chihiro** : Hello Kiibo-kun! How may I help you?

 **Iidabashi Kiibo** : He has

 **Iidabashi Kiibo** : confessed

 **Fujisaki Chihiro** : OH MY GLOB

 **Fujisaki Chihiro** : i need deets!!

 **Iidabashi Kiibo** : But... the future is quite bleak.

 **Fujisaki Chihiro** : Ehhhh? How so?

–

The class managed to finish watching the Bee Movie, or rather the class let Gokuhara watch the rest of the movie with Hoshi while the rest of the class moved to the kitchen for a continuation of the gossip. Tojo prepared dinner, although Iidabashi was convinced she was listening in given her frequent glances at them.

It had been a lively dinner, the majority of the class was quite giddy at the revelation and Amami's eventual admission, dishing out questions left and right (although mostly directed at the adventurer).

The concept of 'crushes' was quite foreign to Iidabashi but it did not mean he didn't have any. He had made mental lists categorizing his classmates. Akamatsu was best in leadership. Saihara and Shinguji on the top spots when it comes to intelligence. He considers Gokuhara as the most friendly. He chalked up Ouma as the best in pranking and Momota as the best in being himself. In matters of physical attraction however, Amami was on top of the list (he cared not whether it was a boy or girl). In fact, Amami was on several top places on his list: best hair, best 'smolder,' best shrug...

So for his top 'crush' to like him back was quite an invigorating feeling, something he was yet to experience beforehand. When prodded by his classmates for what he felt regarding Amami's confession, he kept his answers polite and vague. He is quite unsure how to react if he was being honest and feels a bit lost on how to proceed. Should he tell Amami he felt the same and ask him out on a date? Or should he wait for the adventurer to actually make the first move? He fixes his gaze at the boy in question to further observe his reactions regarding the whole debacle, still a victim of their classmates' prodding. Amami seems to be uncomfortable, the way his lips awkwardly contort into what supposedly looks like a smile and he kept looking down while rubbing the back of his head. Iidabashi frowns. _That is not a good sign._

Amami excuses himself immediately after finishing his dinner. Iidabashi takes a glance at him as he left the table, his expression schooled into passivity so as not to reveal he felt hurt by the adventurer's gesture. Amami was acting oddly ever since the reveal of shyboi; he was unusually closed off. In fact, his "confession" (admitting he had a crush on the Robotics Engineer) was quite stilted and unfeeling, as if he was just reciting a sentence. _Maybe I am just reading into this too much._

Iidabashi supposes he should just wait for how things would unfold in the next few days before he resigns to the thought that maybe... maybe Amami isn't actually into him.

–

**8:53PM Saihara Shuichi to Akamatsu Kaede**

**My Beard** : Hey Kae, you seem very stressed out earlier

 **Fake sweetheart** : huh, what makes you say that

 **My Beard** : well you kept pursing your lips

 **My Beard** : and your palms were sweaty

 **My Beard** : and you were nervously babbling

 **Fake sweetheart** : yes ok i was a bit stressed earlier

 **My Beard** : 'a bit'

 **Fake sweetheart** : kfine I was very stressed out 

 **My Beard** : Ah, the perp finally confesses!

 **My Beard** : Another great solve for Detective Saihara!

 **My Beard** : yeet

 **My Beard** : Kae, you still there?

 **Fake sweetheart** : yeah i am, sorry

 **Fake sweetheart** : indeed a good solve, detective!

 **My Beard** : you dont seem excited...

 **Fake sweetheart** : seriously shu?? im happy for you ok

 **My Beard** : whatever happened to stop being not honest with me

 **Fake sweetheart** : can we just drop this talk about amami's confession

 **My Beard** : this was about my skills as a detective...

 **Fake sweetheart** : right, sorry

 **Fake sweetheart** : you did great, shu

 **My Beard** : that's it, I'm coming over, kae

 **Fake sweetheart** : NO

 **Fake sweetheart** : it's fine

 **Fake sweetheart** : there's no need

 **Fake sweetheart** : im ok i swear

 **Fake sweetheart** : im just stressed over a possible surprise quiz tomorrow

 **My Beard** : I'm coming over anyway

–

 

 **Treblemaker** : hey **@chaotic lesbean** can you guard my door pls 

 **Treblemaker** : a degenerate male is planning to break into my room

 **chaotic lesbean** : no problem akamatsu-san!!

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : What the heck, Kaede

 

–

**9:14PM Amami Rantaro to Akamatsu Kaede**

**FreeshAvocadu** : god, look at what youve done akamatsu

 **HurricaneTortilla** : are you fucking kidding me 

 **HurricaneTortilla** : you're seriously blaming me??? 

 **FreeshAvocadu** : who else am i supposed to blame?

 **HurricaneTortilla** : maybe that other person you told??

 **HurricaneTortilla** : for the last goddamn time I didn't send the confession

 **FreeshAvocadu** : riiiight and you also never told saihara anything about it at all

 **FreeshAvocadu** : while he was holed up in your room 

 **HurricaneTortilla** : that's right, I never fucking did

 **HurricaneTortilla** : why are you so fixated with me as the one who betrayed you

 **HurricaneTortilla** : what could I possibly gain from lying to you 

 **FreeshAvocadu** : not like youve never lied before but ok 

 **HurricaneTortilla** : ok fuck this

 **HurricaneTortilla** : and fuck you

_**HurricaneTortilla** removed her nickname_

**FreeshAvocadu** : W O W it's nice seeing this side of you

 **FreeshAvocadu** : so you being a good girl is just a front after all

 **FreeshAvocadu** : just fess up already

 **FreeshAvocadu** : there's really no need to get overdramatic about this

 

–

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : uh you okay there akamatsu?

 **notto disu shitto agen** : hes rly living up to his handle lol

 **notto disu shitto agen** : but in all seriousness,

 **notto disu shitto agen** : are you ok akamatsu-chan?

 **Maki Roll** : she just chucked her phone outside her window, do you think she's doing ok

 **chaotic lesbean** : woah

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : SHE JUST WHAT???

 **bitch I am the WAY** : First sign of the apocalypse!~

 **Kork** : I am quite terrified of Akamatsu-san now.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : frankly i would be too

 **notto disu shitto agen** : considering she managed to break through tempered glass by just hurling her phone

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : same, but like, i've always been terrified of her since before

 **Mother Knows Best** : Oh dear.

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : she's really pissed off

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : who could've made her that mad???

 **notto disu shitto agen** : not me

 **notto disu shitto agen** : wouldnt take credit even as a joke

 **dumb blonde slut** : im one of the pipz akamatsu gets mad at frequently

 **dumb blonde slut** : but this one isnt on me

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I am highly doubtful whoever did would be willing to admit it.

 **Kork** : Ditto.

 

–

**9:39PM Amami Rantaro to Shirogane Tsumugi**

**Survivor** : k so i may have made akamatsu... really pissed off

 **Mastermind** : oh my god taro

 **Survivor** : she just wouldnt fess up!!

 **Survivor** : it would really help a great deal if she just

 **Survivor** : finally admitted she was the one who sent the confession

 **Survivor** : and not blow this out of proportion

 **Survivor** : maybe thats how she just is

 **Survivor** : a big drama queen

 **Mastermind** : uhhh right

 **Mastermind** : but the good news is iidabashi-kun didn't turn you down!

 **Mastermind** : or something

 **Mastermind** : that's good pay off if you ask me

 **Survivor** : yeah i guess 

 **Survivor** : but akamatsu is still being a bitch about this 

 **Mastermind** : uh about that

 **Mastermind** : maybe, be the bigger person?

 **Survivor** : okay, okay. sounds good 

 **Mastermind** : also, maybe don't provoke akamatsu-san for a few days or so 

 **Survivor** : great why do *I* have to be that

 **Mastermind** : Taro, please

 **Survivor** : yes, i'll be good

 

– 

**9:45PM Saihara Shuichi to Tojo Kirumi**  

 **Saihara Shuichi** : Good evening, Tojo-san.

 **Tojo Kirumi** : Good evening to you as well, Saihara-san. How may I help you?

 **Saihara Shuichi** : I was wondering if you would accompany me to check up on Kaede...

 **Tojo Kirumi** : Gladly.

 **Saihara Shuichi** : Maybe she'd calm down exponentially if you were there 

 **Saihara Shuichi** : Not because you're special to her or something

 **Saihara Shuichi** : I mean, I'm her bestfriend

 **Saihara Shuichi** : It's just, you're the other class mom

 **Tojo Kirumi** : Saihara-san, I've already agreed to accompany you.

 **Saihara Shuichi** : oh right omg sorry

 **Saihara Shuichi** : I just get nervous when I talk to you

 **Saihara Shuichi** : not like when Kaede does, mind you, I don't have a crush on you or anything

 **Tojo Kirumi** : ...We are getting off-track.

 **Saihara Shuichi** : Oof sorry again! We should bring her some cookies.

–

 

Saihara adjusts his cap before softly knocking on Akamatsu's door, so soft it was barely audible. He had dropped the (thankfully, wooden) plate of cookies while prepping in the kitchen and was wringing his hands the whole way to the pianist's room. “Nervous, Saihara-san?” Tojo asks. The detective meekly nods.Tojo shifts the tray with a plate of cookies on her palms in such a way that it was possible for one hand to fully support it and uses her free hand to make three crisp knocks on the door. “Akamatsu-san, may we come in?”

They hear movement from the other side of the door, shuffling here and there and a few curses in between. After a while, the door opens slightly ajar and a disheveled Akamatsu peeks out of the small opening. “Hey, Tojo-san. Shuichi. Uh... now's not really a good time?” the pianist says, gaze shifting to the plate of cookies. “Oh, are those cookies?”

“Yes, they are. Would you like some?” Tojo asks, smiling. Akamatsu flushes and her grip on the door slackens, using one hand to cover her mouth. Tojo uses the momentary distraction to push open the door even wider, startling the pianist who back-steps and releases an audible gasp.

Saihara doesn't have time to praise the maid's cunning move as the state of Akamatsu's room is revealed. Tojo's eyes widen, taken aback at seeing such an uncharacteristically messy room. Several pieces of sheet music were scattered everywhere, her soiled clothes and hamper looked like it was thrown across the room, her blanket and pillows haphazardly arranged on her bed and of course, the broken window from where her phone flew through.

“Kaede, it would be preferable if you just screamed your anger out rather than... have physical outbursts like this.” Saihara whispers as he and Tojo slowly enter the room. Akamatsu scratches the back of her head.

“I know, sorry. I'm really working on moderating this temper of mine. Nothing was broken this time, though!” Akamatsu says, does a double take and gestures at the broken window. “Except that.”

Tojo places the tray on Akamatsu's bedside table and wastes no time tidying up. “No, don't worry about the mess, Tojo-san! I'll clean this up myself.” Akamatsu says, hurriedly picking up some sheet music from the floor.

“It is no bother, Akamatsu-san. I am merely here to accompany Saihara-san while he talks to you, I might as well get some work done.” Tojo says and Akamatsu gives her an apologetic look. “I prefer having a task to do, so please, do not mind me. Saihara-san?” the maid prompts.

Saihara takes a seat on the edge of Akamatsu's bed. “Right, right.” He says, pulling the brim of his cap downward. “May we talk about tonight, Kae?” He pats the area beside him and shoots his bestfriend a forced smile.

Akamatsu immediately sits beside him. “Do I have a choice?” She says, poking him playfully. Saihara spares a brief glance towards Tojo's direction. “I guess not.” Akamatsu pouts.

“What happened tonight, Kae? Your last violent outburst was years ago. I've been trying to figure out what could've ruined this night for you. So, please be honest with me.” Saihara says, voice tinged with hurt. 

Akamatsu sighs heavily. “Okay, Shu. I'll tell you.” She pats Saihara's shoulder. “It's the stress from last week.”

Saihara raises an eyebrow at her. “Kaede, I told you to be honest with me.”

“I am, jeez. Let me finish first.” Akamatsu pauses, taking in a deep breath. “I... you know how I talked to you about feeling like...” She eyes Tojo for a moment. “...being a pianist is the only thing I'm good at?”

“Yeah...”

“Well, I've spent most of the week trying to fix this. The tension never really left us, yeah? I'm just so frustrated that I can't do anything more. You're the one who managed the class to get it together. It was so awesome of you. While I... I've been trying to get this week to go smoothly and... every minute bad thing ever happening's been piling up on me. Am I still making any sense?”

Saihara nods.

“When Gonta-kun wanted to pick up Movie Night from last week, I was happy. Really happy that despite what happened last week, most of the class, if not all, were still trying to get things back to normal. And this is a bit silly but... when you stumbled down the stairs and, uh, disrupted movie night with your revelation... I was miffed. Prior to that, Ouma had already interrupted when I got back from... picking up the cupcakes from the gate.

And I got really pissed that we left Gonta-kun and Hoshi-kun to finish the movie by themselves while we crowded in the kitchen to gossip! I'm sorry, I'm being an awful person. Don't think it's your fault, Shu. This was on me. I'm just... trying to prove... something.”

Saihara looks pensive for a moment. “I... I'm sorry, Kaede.” He takes hold of Akamatsu's hands, mentally noting them to be clammy.

Akamatsu groans. “Shu, I just told you it's not your fault! This was, beyond you! Or me!”

“I know... Still, I'm sorry that I contributed to that.” Saihara says, squeezing the pianist's hands. “Kae, look. I don't want you bottling up your thoughts like this, okay? Because you almost always end up doing things you quickly regret. Talk to someone about it. I'm here, Tojo-san's here, everyone's here to listen; to help you.”

“Of course, thank you, Shu.” Akamatsu says with a soft smile. “I'm sorry for all the worry I've caused tonight.”

Saihara turns to look at the window. Tojo was currently inspecting the area, clearing it of any glass shards. “Yeah... with your phone, out the window. Dang. Almost gave me a heart attack.” He says. Akamatsu flinches.

“Oh my gosh!” The pianist abruptly stands up. “Yes, the window. And my phone!” She frantically paces around her room. “Shu, don't tell my parents and-- don't tell _them_.”

Saihara nods in understanding. “Okay but... the school staff will know about the broken window.”

“I can pay for the repair! I can use my savings. For the phone... I know someone who I can borrow money from. But I don't think it'll be enough...” Akamatsu muffles a whimper into her hands. “I'm going to have to take a part-time job.” 

–

 

 **Robot Rights Activist** : Any update on how Akamatsu-san is feeling?

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I am very worried.

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I have never seen another human being that enraged that they would be willing to destroy personal, as well as private property. 

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : She has calmed down now, don't worry about it 

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : I'm sorry for worrying everyone! -akamatsu 

 **chaotic lesbean** : tenko is glad to hear you're doing well, akamatsu-san!!

 **Kork** : As am I.

 **chaotic lesbean** : ew

 **Robot Rights Activist** : I am glad to hear that!

 **Maki Roll** : momota's relieved too, but he's too scared to talk to you now

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : lol scared I might chuck a phone at you, momota-kun? -akamatsu

 **notto disu shitto agen** : nishishi

 

–

Saihara and Akamatsu make small talk as Tojo continues to tidy up the room to at least a presentable level. As soon as she is done, she takes the tray with an empty plate sitting on the bedside table and bids the duo a goodnight. “Wait for me, Tojo-san.” Saihara calls out, and she does as told. She stands idly near the door, and watches the detective hug the exhausted pianist before he joins her to leave. Akamatsu trails behind him, whispering her many thanks on the way to the door.

Saihara and Tojo express their goodbyes before turning to leave while Akamatsu watches them walk off. Tojo was halfway across the long hallway towards the staircase when she hears Akamatsu call out. “Wait! Tojo-san, I...” The maid immediately halts, and turns to face the pianist. “I need help. With something. On top of the shelf” the blonde meekly says. By then, Saihara has walked off into the male's side of the dorm.

Tojo makes her way back to Akamatsu's room, gently closing the door behind her upon arrival. “How may I assist yo--” Akamatsu immediately grabs her shoulders, making her shudder at the sudden contact, almost dropping the tray. 

“Tojo-san, I got so mad tonight because Amami was being an unreasonable asshole. And I need your help in confirming something for me.” 

 

–

**10:57PM Saihara Shuichi to Ouma Kokichi**

**Sushi** : Ouma-kun I'm going to need your help

 **Omakase** : wowowowowow rly??

 **Omakase** : for wat???? 

 **Sushi** : We're going to solve a mystery about this class

 **Sushi** : but it's gonna be in secret

 **Omakase** : so undercover, got it

 **Sushi** : We need to find out why Kaede is so mad at Amami-kun

 **Omakase** : omg wut

 **Omakase** : so thats why she was so quiet earlier??

 **Omakase** : and wow u managed to talk that out of her

 **Omakase** : nice, your interrogation level is improving~

 **Sushi** : I didn't. I just put two and two together after talking to her in person just recently

 **Sushi** : Kaede's just horrible at lying.

 **Omakase** : lol figured 

 **Sushi** : remember, this'll just be in secret okay?

 **Sushi** : You in?

 **Omakase** : didn't have to ask me twice ;)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The canon equivalent of this is Kaede dying lol
> 
> I know, I know. Ranty is being unreasonable. But... it's perfectly possible for a highschooler to be this petty  
> Meanwhile, Shirogane is just digging her grave deeper~


	13. I: My Class Trial, Our Class Trial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Akamatsu's figurative execution, she leaves a final wish for everyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Yes I Am Totally Using Canon Chapter Titles As Chapter Titles :3

05/06/2018 04:16PM

 

Most of Class 79A were currently lounging in the living room while waiting for the rest of their classmates to arrive from their rooms. Akamatsu had called for a 'group meeting' and as soon as everyone was present, she wastes no time and immediately takes center stage, commanding everyone's attention.

“Okay, so I gathered you all here for an announcement.” Akamatsu says, hands on her hips. She glares at Ouma for snickering before continuing, “As you all know, I've started taking part-time jobs last week... to pay for breaking a window and my phone. And I didn't want to have to do this because I know you're all capable of being responsible, functioning humans without the presence of an authority figure. But look at how that turned out...” She rubs her temples and sighs exasperatedly.

Akamatsu holds out her hand. “The toaster is busted, the trash bin outside caught fire for some reason, four plates were broken,” she says as she counts down with her fingers for emphasis. “and another broken window? Seriously, guys?” She points at the gaping hole on the living room window, barely obscured by the mauve curtain. Most of the class were shamefaced while Yonaga and Iruma smirked at each other.

“So I'm guessing you're gonna put someone in charge?” Ouma pipes up.

Iruma snorts, crossing her legs brusquely on the sofa. “Who even gave you authority to authorize shit, Bakamatsu?”

“Akamatsu-san is our Class Rep, so she is our likely de facto leader.” Shinguji says.

“I don't think I should be.” Akamatsu mumbles under her breath before faking a cough, “Right, so I'm putting Shuichi in charge.”

The class erupts into an incoherent chorus of surprise, disbelief and protest. Saihara, who had been quietly standing by on the sidelines, retreats into a dark corner of the living room. Momota tries to get the class to settle down and soon the chaos dies out.

“Angie has a question!” Yonaga raises her hand and Akamatsu gestures for her to speak. “Why pick Shuichi though? Aren't there other people in class more capable?”

Iruma nods her head sagely, arms crossed and chest puffed out. “Yeah, like me, the gorgeous genius, Iruma Miu!”

“Or perhaps Tojo-san.” Shinguji says, jerking his head towards the maid's direction. Tojo makes no discernible reaction despite the noises of affirmation, with Yonaga particularly saying 'yeah, she's like, the other mom anyway.'

Amami shakes his head as he casually rolls his eyes to the side. “Obviously favoritism.” Shirogane slaps his arm immediately, a look of horror reflected on her face. Chabashira naturally lashes out at the adventurer and the class devolves into chaos once again, Momota being unable to quell it this time.

Akamatsu clicks her tongue and clenches her fist, managing to avoid looking at Amami's direction in the most natural way she could. After mentally calming herself down, she does a quick scan of her rowdy peers and spots Saihara shrinking into himself at the back of the room. She crosses her arms, a sigh escaping her lips. _Come on Kaede, just make them believe you know what you're doing_.

“Okay, here's the thing.” Akamatsu finally says in a commanding voice, and the class shift their attention to her. “I've considered three candidates; Momota-kun, Tojo-san and Shuichi, and no, I will not go over why I didn't consider the other twelve.” She gestures toward the astronaut. “Momota-kun is headstrong, passionate, and authoritative when he wants to be. It's actually freaky because he's kind of like the male version of me.” Momota finger-guns towards her direction, a goofy smile on his face. Akamatsu returns with a crooked smile and continues, “But... he's also hot-headed and--”

“A whole lot of a misogynist, yeah.” Chabashira says. Momota was about to voice his defense when Akamatsu gestures her open palm against him and he relents.

“As I was saying, he is hot-headed and brash, and incapable of dealing with Ouma's snark, like we've seen time and again.” She continues, giving Momota a brief pointed look.

Momota chuckles and scratches his cheek. “I ain't even mad.” Ouma giggles, and the two exchange scathing looks with each other.

“And Tojo-san, well, she's actually pretty great at keeping you all in line... if I tell her to. And since she isn't contractually obligated to only listen to me, she is more likely to give way to any of your reasonable commands whenever I'm away rather than constantly enforcing authority.” Akamatsu eyes Tojo with an uneasy smile. “It's just not her thing, given her dedication to assist others.”

Tojo bows her head slightly. “She isn't mistaken.”

Akamatsu takes a deep breath, then looks at an obscured Saihara at the back of the room, trying his best in keeping a low profile. “Shu, can you please come here for a moment.”

Saihara initially didn't budge, but after Momota's persistent nudging and a few words of encouragement, he trudges toward the spotlight. He adjusts his cap before facing his bestfriend, unable to hold eye contact for too long.

“Don't worry, I won't let you do any of my responsibilities as Class Rep. You just have to keep everybody in check when I'm on my shifts, which is everyday after class apparently. And Saturday, I guess. Ah, too much?” Akamatsu says, grinning and teasingly poking Saihara's cheek but doesn't receive a response. She frowns and sighs for the umpteenth time that afternoon.

“Shuichi, you know how I've... always been,” Akamatsu pauses, pursing her lips momentarily before continuing, “patronizing... toward you.”

Saihara suddenly looks up at her with a curious expression, making her wince and she averts her gaze. The room that had once been rippling with whispers of unrelated conversations quiets down. The uncharacteristic silence is jarring. Akamatsu tries to ignore the uncomfortable feeling of something dropping in her stomach, followed by the sensation of her blood seemingly draining off from her body.

“I'm sorry for all those times, and I know I can't take it back.” She says a bit too quickly, trying to overlap the brief awkward silence. “You've... always been so sensitive and timid. I didn't like seeing you get hurt so I always stepped in to defend or protect you, to prevent you from tripping over yourself, to... stop you from achieving your full potential. I've realized I never really gave you a chance to show your capabilities despite being encouraging because... deep down, I didn't think you could handle it.”

Akamatsu places her hands on Saihara's shoulders. “When you gathered the class together during the house arrest and got us to talk about the issue, it was a testament of your abilities. You're proactive, level-headed and intelligent. Maybe you lack a bit of charisma and assertiveness, but it's not like you can't learn on the job. It's frightening to be out of your comfort zone, but there will be people who can and will help you; don't be afraid to borrow from their strength.” She looks down for a moment before gazing into Saihara's eyes again, mostly obscured by his bangs and the brim of his hat. “You... You've always had my back, always believed in me. For that, I've always felt like I could do anything... Shuichi, I should have said this a long time ago. You can do this. I believe in you.” She squeezes his shoulders, and beams at him. “So believe in yourself too, okay?”

Saihara doesn't say anything. He only stares directly at her eyes, his expression alarmingly blank and this goes on for a few uncomfortable seconds. “Shu, this is really awkward, you know?” Akamatsu says in a playful tone, using one hand to make gestures between them for dramatic effect. “Shu?”

Saihara suddenly drapes his arms around her, then squeezes her tight, startling her. “Thank you, Kaede...” He whispers, voice dry as if he had just released a breath he was holding for so long. “But I don't know if I'm ready.”

Akamatsu hugs him back. “Oh, Shuichi. None of us are ever ready for anything. You either let the opportunity or moment pass you by, or you take the plunge.”

Saihara simply chuckles. “I'll do my best then.”

They stay like that for some time before Iruma breaks the silence. “Damn, I didn't sign up for this. That was fucking beautiful.” Shinguji even started clapping, Gokuhara following suit.

“Totes!” Yonaga clasped her hands together. “Angie thinks Shuichi will be a good leader when Kaede is gone.”

“Jeez, you make it sound like I died.” Akamatsu says, voice apprehensive.

Momota pumps his fist in the air. “Alright! Sai's gonna be great! As my sidekick, I'll help him learn through the ropes!”

Not long after, the class erupts into cheers of affirmation. Akamatsu nudges Saihara towards the center of the group and he walks off. She then backs into a corner and watches her classmates congratulate Shuichi on his new role, a soft smile plastered on her lips. She doesn't notice Ouma approaching her amongst the festivities.

“Hey Akamatsu-chan...” he says, hands behind his head. Akamatsu hums in acknowledgement, gaze still trained at the group.

From the corner of her eye, she sees Ouma look at her with an uncharacteristically serious expression and she fully faces him, an eyebrow raised. She opens her mouth to say something but he cuts her off. “You're definitely not boring.”

 

–

**07:43PM Ouma Kokichi to Saihara Shuichi**

**Omakase** : lol u see that tension between akamatsu-chan and amami-chan earlier?

 **Omakase** : was so sure one of them would pull out a knife and stab the other

 **Sushi** : A dark hypothesis

 **Sushi** : but a very possible scenario

 **Sushi** : What's interesting is that they kept it low-key

 **Omakase** : meaning,, they don't actually intend for the whole to get class roped

 **Omakase** : into whatevers goin on between them

 **Sushi** : Right you are, my dear Watson!

 **Omakase** : omfg saihara-chan dont do that ur makin me horny

 **Sushi** : I probably should've just asked Momo-kun for help instead...

 **Omakase** : lmao as if he had enough brain cells to help u on this

 **Sushi** : ….........

 **Sushi** : At least I'd be more comfortable working with him since he doesn't flirt with me every so often

 **Omakase** : wait

 **Omakase** : what do u mean

 **Sushi** : Anyway, I gotta go in awhile. Night training.

 **Omakase** : babe wait a minute dont go

_**Sushi** is offline_

**Omakase** : jsakjajkddfksdfksjfjs

 

–

Saihara stumbles into their little training hideout in a daze. He greets Harukawa, standing near a tree, and she nods to him in acknowledgement. Seeing as Momota had yet to arrive, he takes a seat on one of the benches, letting his mind wander. He'd never admit it in front of Akamatsu, but her decision of letting him be in charge really floored him, and it had bothered him greatly ever since her announcement. He greatly appreciates the blonde's encouraging gesture but he strongly doubts he could handle such big responsibility, considering he lacked an authoritative flair. It's quite an achievement that he didn't cry on the spot that time. And on top of that, he's on a mission to find out what was going on between Akamatsu and Amami.

Harukawa snaps her fingers in front of him. "Saihara."

"Oh, sorry. Yeah, we could start now." Saihara meekly says, his lips forming an uneasy smile. He didn't actually hear whatever Harukawa said before, but knowing her much more steadfast dedication to fitness, it was probably something about starting without Momota. He was about to stand up when Harukawa actually took a seat beside him.

"Something's bothering you," Harukawa blankly says, her expression stern it was almost as if she was glaring at him. Admittedly, Saihara isn't quite as close with the surly brunette as Momota, despite having spent so many evenings doing their exercise routine. He doesn't really know how to converse with her, given that she's so closed off and often just gives terse, unfeeling responses, while he was not one to pry. He wasn't like Momota or Akamatsu who could talk you into talking more.

The detective looks away before answering. "The... when Kaede... Me being in-charge."

"Figures. What part of it bothers you so much? Aside from you think you can't do it." That's probably the most spoken lines he's ever heard Harukawa say to him.

He faces the assassin, scratching his left cheek. "It's mostly just that actually."

"I'm not good with pep talks so I won't waste our time by giving you empty reassurances." Harukawa crosses her arms, relaxing a bit on the bench.

Saihara blinks at her. "Uh... okay..." Harukawa has always been straightforward and no-nonsense, and he appreciates that more candid approach over the overzealous comforting words (with no bearing sometimes) Momota or Akamatsu tend to use on him. No offense to those rays of sunshine, but as a detective, he appreciates a little truth sometimes.

"Why did you think Akamatsu gave you that responsibility?"

He adjusts the brim of his hat. "Because she thinks I'm a capable leader? But I'm really n--" Harukawa holds up a hand at him.

"Because you suffer from a crippling Impostor Syndrome and this was her way of rehabilitating you."

"H-huh?" Saihara clearly wasn't expecting that. The thought of 'rehabilitation' made the sentiment sound awful, though he supposes that's to be expected of Harukawa. He really needs her to further explain what she means though, because she might be onto something.

The assassin wasn't able to elaborate further as Momota finally steps in from the bushes. "Hey you two, the Luminary of the Stars is finally here!" Momota greets. He studies the two of them for a few seconds before asking, "What're you two talking about?"

"Nothing."

"My confidence issues."

Saihara briefly gives Harukawa a look and she merely gazes blankly at him, "Oh are we not supposed to talk more about it? Okay, sorry..." He mumbles quickly.

"Oh, about you being charge at the dorm during nighttime!" Momota says, giving him a thumbs up. "You'll totally do great by the way!!!"

"Why does everyone keep saying that." Saihara says into his hand, some of the words come out slightly muffled. Akamatsu believes in him, Momota thinks he'll do great, Harukawa implies he's probably a social experiment and most of his classmates believe he's capable of such responsibility. And again, there's this mysterious feud between Amami and his bestfriend that he needs to get to the bottom of. Truly, the people around him expect too much of him. "I can't do this!" He abruptly stands up and paces around frantically, both hands flat around his temples. "But I don't want to disappoint Kaede, and... gah!" His thoughts were now wildly spiraling inside his head. At some point during his breakdown, he doesn't notice the tears streaming down his face. The sound around him was tuned out, but he's aware both Momota and Harukawa were trying to talk to him.

The buzzing static eventually fades out. "Sai!!!" He hears Momota call out. From the corner of his eye, he sees the taller boy approaching him. The detective straightens himself a bit before facing the astronaut, only to see him swinging his fist at him.

\--

Harukawa's mouth hangs agape as the scene unfolds in front of her. Saihara collapses on the ground, obviously knocked out cold while Momota passionately spews platitudes concerning self-confidence, oblivious that the person he's preaching to was unconscious.

She is immediately beside the fallen detective, and inspects his vitals. "What the hell, Momota?!"

"I'm just trying to-- Oh wait, did I knock him out cold?" Momota says, quickly kneeling beside her.

"Yes, you did. Akamatsu will have your head for this." Harukawa glares daggers at him.

Momota shudders. "Fuck, oh fuck! S-She doesn't need to know about this!" He says, grabbing her shoulders in a frenzy. "Let's just say he passed out from overexerting himself tonight! Please Harumaki, don't tell Akamatsu, please!"

Harukawa rolls her eyes, "Fine. Let's go back now." She effortlessly lifts the unconscious Saihara, draping his arm around her neck to support his dead weight and gestures for Momota to handle the other side. The trip back to the dorms was in complete silence.

\--

_09:19PM_

**notto disu shitto agen** : **@everyone**

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : gtfo

 **chaotic lesbean** : what do you want now

 **notto disu shitto agen** : lets pause for a moment shall we

 **ShirogaNYA** : ???

 **notto disu shitto agen** : a moment of silence for our fallen comrade

 **notto disu shitto agen** : our dear akamatsu-chan

 **notto disu shitto agen** : a great leader (ew)

 **notto disu shitto agen** : a piano virtuoso

 **dumb blonde slut** : a bitch with nice tits

 **notto disu shitto agen** : ok that too, but as a gay man: i cant relate

 **notto disu shitto agen** : moving on

 **notto disu shitto agen** : [fake cough]

 **notto disu shitto agen** : She will be missed.

 **Kork** : You used uppercase and proper punctuation. This is truly a heartfelt eulogy.

 **Good Noodle** : Oh no! Someone has died?

 **notto disu shitto agen** : akamatsu-chan :((

 **Good Noodle** : Huh?

 **Mother Knows Best** : Quit telling everyone I'm dead!!! -Akamatsu

 **notto disu shitto agen** : sometimes i can still hear her voice :'(

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : lol nice,,,

 **Good Noodle** : That is not a nice thing to joke about, Ouma-kun :(

 **Kork** : OH DAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN.

 **quail egg** : i just suffered a massive whiplash

 **dumb blonde slut** : AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAJA

 **ShirogaNYA** : OMG

 **chaotic lesbean** : GONTA-KUN IM SO PROUD

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : LOL u just got schooled lil man

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : I dont mean u hoshi

 **quail egg** : that much was obvious but thank you for really clarifying it

 **notto disu shitto agen** : waaaaaah gonta-chan im sorry

 **notto disu shitto agen** : i was just trying to make a meme joke huhu

 **Mother Knows Best** : Hah! That's what you get for setting up such a tasteless joke just to meme.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : hey u played along!!!

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : wait is that still u akamatsu, or tojo

 **Mother Knows Best** : Oh, sorry. It's still me! -Akamatsu

 **notto disu shitto agen** : the moms have merged into one(1) now

 **bitch I am the WAY** : DID SOMEONE SAY “MARRIAGE”???

 **dumb blonde slut** : woah someones eager to play minister

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Angie is an ordained minister actually~~

 **dumb blonde slut** : wat the ever loving fuck

 **Kork** : It was quite obvious from the choice of words that it was still Akamatsu-san.

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : is that a snipe on me being a dumbass

 **notto disu shitto agen** : wat do u think, dumbass

 **Kork** : I can't ever imagine Tojo-san to talk so casually as that.

 **quail egg** : imagine it tho

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : ugH i rly hate u ouma

 **chaotic lesbean** : it's really cuuuuute

 **ShirogaNYA** : truuuuu

 **chaotic lesbean** : maybe akamatsu-san would eventually bring out a more casual side of tojo-san!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : love u too, momota-chan :*

 **dumb blonde slut** : damn thats gay

 **chaotic lesbean** : tenko knoooooows <3 <3

 **Mother Knows Best** : Please stop. -Both of us

 **notto disu shitto agen** : stop you both from what?

 **dumb blonde slut** : scissoring

 **notto disu shitto agen** : i was going to say “having a nice blue waffle with a nice cup of tea in the afternoon and enjoy each other's company” but yea ok that too

 **dumb blonde slut** : eeeeeyyyyy

 **dumb blonde slut** : **(☞** **ﾟヮﾟ** **)☞**

 **Good Noodle** : Blue Waffle? Like a Blueberry-flavored one?

 **quail egg** : oh no

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : gonta's innocence is,,, sometimes painful to watch,,

 **Kork** : No Gonta-kun, blue waffle does not mean a blueberry-flavored waffle.

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : DONT GOOGLE THAT

 **chaotic lesbean** : tenko has no idea what that is too

 **chaotic lesbean** : but is now scared to google it

 **ShirogaNYA** : good call ;w;

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : ,,i won't let u google it,,, to protect u

 **bitch I am the WAY** : aaaawwwww <3

 **chaotic lesbean** : omg Yumeno-chan knows what that is?!?

 **dumb blonde slut** : wow smolfry who knew ur gunning for

 **dumb blonde slut** : who has the most questionable google searches

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : ,,,,,,dont worry u still remain #1 on that

 **notto disu shitto agen** : nice one yumeno-chan, drag her

 **Mother Knows Best** : Is it possible for everyone to refrain from making any further vulgar comments about us or I fucking swear to god this week will not be ending well.

 **dumb blonde slut** : woah easy there on the curse words bakamatsu

 **dumb blonde slut** : its weird seeing mommy-chan curse

 **Mother Knows Best** : That was Tojo-san, though. -Akamatsu

 **Mother Knows Best** : lol get rekt -Akamatsu

 **dumb blonde slut** : oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Angie is upset now :((~

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Angie was expecting a marriage~

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : we can still have that marriage angie!!!

 **bitch I am the WAY** : oh Angie doesn't want to marry you, Kaito~

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : **@Maki Roll** heyyy

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : i didnt intend to marry you angie jeez u didnt let me tag her first

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : how do you even manage to type so fast with uppercase letters damn

 **Kork** : Pressing the Shift key isn't that quite of a difficult task, Momota-kun.

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : how many times do i gotta die from yall shitting on me tonight

 **Maki Roll** : i'm not marrying you

 **notto disu shitto agen** : aaaaaand theres the killing blow

 **bitch I am the WAY** : It is alright! Angie can officiate funerals too!~~

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : (༎ຶ⌑༎ຶ)

 **quail egg** : well this was wild

 **Kork** : Has there ever been a single instance where we have been purely wholesome in this group chat for a day?

 **quail egg** : small moments, never lasts a day tho

 **dumb blonde slut** : not when im around nyahahahaha

 **notto disu shitto agen** : cmon guys we can still have a marriage

 **notto disu shitto agen** : lets get married babe **@imma meme**

 **Good Noodle** : But doesn't Amami-kun like Iidabashi-kun?

 **notto disu shitto agen** : well gonta-chan sometimes people cheat on each other

 **quail egg** : gdi

 **imma meme** : i'll pass

 **notto disu shitto agen** : lol wut

 **notto disu shitto agen** : ur supposed to be sassing me for giving u such a lackluster proposal

 **notto disu shitto agen** : a flamboyant proposal would be full of sparkle and party popper emojis

 **quail egg** : makes sense

 **Maki Roll** : it really doesnt

 **quail egg** : I respect that

i **mma meme** : i'm not in the mood for roleplay okay

 **notto disu shitto agen** : thats the thing, uve never been “in the mood” ever since *that* time

 **notto disu shitto agen** : whats goin on with u

_**imma meme** went offline_

**notto disu shitto agen** : see wat i mean???

 **Good Noodle** : Oh no, what's wrong with Amami-kun?

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : ,,,my mom always said that when someone does that it means theyre upset,,,, or just being a normal teenager,,

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : er do u mean ur real mom or tojo?

 **Mother Knows Best** : I advise you read that again, Momota-san, but slowly.

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : ,,,,,,,

 **Maki Roll** : lol

 **Kork** : How uncanny.

 **quail egg** : anyway, amami's not usually like that tho

 **Kork** : Agreed. Perhaps we should check up on him.

 **ShirogaNYA** : I'll do it!!

 

–

10:01PM

Taro

**Taro, you're too obvious in the groupchat**

**maybe try to play it up a little?**

and what? Act like nothing's wrong?

**Okay maybe not but**

**what's really bothering u??**

kiibo-kun

he's been giving me weird looks ever since that day

ugh he must think im so uncool

**I highly doubt that...**

**have you tried talking to him recently?**

No

idk how anymore

god mugi, im a mess

this is throwing me off my groove

and it all started coz of that damn HPA confession tweet

**yeah**

**really cant believe akamatsu-san would do that to you**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oof, and that's it~ *close curtain*  
> a wrap-up of the Chapter 1 Trial lol
> 
> next chapter is gonna be the class 77-78 kids (+ the HPA faculty returns)! their special chapters act like the Monokuma Theater that segues between major plot points or the like. They're going to pop up once every 6 chapters (hopefully I can stick to that lol)
> 
> cover art (c) me


	14. I.5: Normal? We Don't Know Her

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Class 77 and 78 Shenanigans (tm) plus the HPA staff make an exciting return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Viola! An update~  
> Sorry it took a while, I did get busy writing some one-shots for the companion piece of this fic: [Behind Getting Along](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16449194/chapters/38517854)  
> The first chapter serves as a prologue for this fic :D So head on there if you haven't seen it already. Works as a bonus treat for this week, I guess.
> 
> Annnd I just finished writing/editing this while having an awful headache so edits will happen whenever possible lol
> 
> Comments and Kudos greatly appreciated, Ciao~

_05/06/2018_

8:34PM **Would Rather Be Stuck In An Island**

 

 **Trash(tm)** : ehem

 **baby gangsta** : No we are not fucking talking about whatever shit is happening to class 79A

 **baby gangsta** : aren't u hella biased too, all ur interested in is 79A when 79B exists too

 **Trash(tm)** : :(

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : lets be real here, nothing exciting ever happens to 79B

 **Trash(tm** ): Very true! Also they do not have a hopeful character therefore I am not interested.

 **True Protagonist** : aawww C'mon Fuyu, let's indulge him a lil bit

 **baby gangsta** : you are such an enabler

 **Trash(tm)** : yay!

 **Trash(tm)** : love u boo

 **Trash(tm)** : so,

 **Started from the Bottom** : I really want Class 79 to step on me <3

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : boo 0/10 no buildup, awful dialogue

 **baby gangsta** : fuck

 **Trash(tm)** : begone, thot

 **Trash(tm)** : As I Was Saying

 **Trash(tm)** : Akamatsu-kun's display of tenacity last week would have been a sight to behold!

 **Trash(tm)** : She is truly a shining symbol of Hope, much brighter than Makoto!

 **Heir to the Throne** : How does that have anything to with her throwing her phone through her window?

 **Started from the Bottom** : Gosh I wish that phone were me

 **Trash(tm)** : Through her noble sacrifice, she was able to inspire Saihara-kun to take up a leadership role!

 **The Princess Is In Another Castle** : Noble sacrifice?

 **Trash(tm)** : She died to save her classmates.

 **Heir to the Throne** : I refuse to even try comprehend this in the slightest.

 **Heir to the Throne** : Farewell, peasants.

 **food vacuum** : so liek, ultimate final form hope jEsus?

 **Trash(tm)** : YES! Very good, Akane!

 **food vaccum** : do i get a chicken nugget for that

 **IM PUNK ROCK** : STOP SAYING SHE DIED YOU ASS

 **Bokeh** : Yeah! >:(

 **baby gangsta** : **@True Protagonist** stop feeding your boyfriend weed every goddamn night

 **True Protagonist** : omgosh sorry sorry he didnt mean that

 **True Protagonist** : I'll burn his weed stash now

 **Bokeh** : god, don't do that you dumb boy

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : for someone fused to an OP character, you sure are a big dumbass hajime

 **True Protagonist** : wow to think that I once had a crush on you

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : no ragrets

 **Trash(tm)** : dont call my bf dumb he might be dumb but im also dumb

 **Trash(tm)** : burn my stash, boo!!

 **Trash(tm)** : Light em up up up

 **True Protagonist** : IM ON FIYAAAAHHHHH

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : ummm i think theyre both high now

 **baby gangsta** : thats it

 **True Protagonist** : whatchu gonna do to us, granpa

 **Trash(tm)** : gahahaha

_**Trash(tm)** went offline_

_**True Protagonist** went offline_

**IM PUNK ROCK** : ooooooooooooooooo

 **The Princess Is In Another Castle** : It's quite nice to see Fuyuhiko's fatherly instincts

 **Started from the Bottom** : oh my~ someone's being spanked real good

 **Bokeh** : or probably actually dead?

 **Bokeh** : Fuyu has a personal hitman, y'know

 **Hash Slinging Slasher** : I'm his girlfriend, not a trophy personal hitman

 **food vacuum** : i thought ur american

 **Bokeh** : Wha?

 **Hash Slinging Slasher** : Uh, well done. You referenced a meme.

 **Hash Slinging Slasher** : Horribly.

 **food vacuum** : do i get a chicken nugget for it

 **runt of the litter** :

 **runt of the litter** : you get this medal

 **food vacuum** : i cant eat dat

 **runt of the litter** : you can if u tried

 **food vacuum** : shit u rite u rite

 **Bokeh** : Hiyoko!!!

 **The Princess Is In Another Castle** : Akane, come. May you please accompany me to Mcdonald's? Let's get you those nuggets.

 **food vacuum** : hell Yeah! tnx princess

_**Screw You** is online_

**Screw You** : oMG can I come???

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : oh, she's typing...

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : A

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : B

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : SO

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : L

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : U

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : TE

 **Screw You** : “Absolutely”???

 **The Princess Is In Another Castle** : Absolutely not.

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : LY

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : NOT

_**Screw You** went offline_

**runt of the litter** : lmao

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : (｡• ̀д•́) 人 (•̀ω•́ )ﾊﾞ

 **The Princess Is In Another Castle** : (｡• ̀д•́) 人 (•̀ω•́ )ﾊﾞ

 **One For All** : YO SONIA, GUNDHAM IS WAITING FOR YOU AND AKANE AT THE LOBBY

 **The Princess Is In Another Castle** : Oh! Thank you for informing us, Nekomaru!

 **Bokeh** : Thank god we still have pure moments here

 **Hash Slinging Slasher** : Don't say that, you'll jinx it

 **Started from the Bottom** : sometimes i'm amazed how tojo-san manages to be so collected

 **Started from the Bottom** : do you think if I request for her assistance often enough in the ehem,

 **Started from the Bottom** : kitchen

 **runt of the litter** : were you trying to imply something sexual coz its not working

 **IM PUNK ROCK** : ~lots of sexy shit can happen in the kitchen tho

 **Started from the Bottom** : do you think she'd find me so annoying she'd step on me

 **Bokeh** : ugh

 **Hash Slinging Slasher** : And there it is

 **Hash Slinging Slasher** : Also don't annoy Tojo

 **Hash Slinging Slasher** : She already has enough on her plate with her classmates

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : fuyu and peko are the secret parents of this class

 **Heir to the Throne** : OK who fucking took a massive dump AND didnt clean the toilet properly?!?!

 **Valid Gamer Gril** : oof, another one

 **Bokeh** : ffs

 

_05/07/2018_

 

 **5:13PM** **THE OG CLASS**

 

 **When Will** : babe

 **My Husband** : Yeah?

 **Return from the War** : hm?

 **When Will** : who has my jacket?

 **My Husband** : Oh, probably Muku!

 **Return from the War** : yea i have it

 **When Will** : may I have it back,

 **My Husband** : Ok, I'll get it from Muku!

 **Return from the War** : no, let me do it egg

 **My Husband** : But I don't mind!

 **Return from the War** : dont be stubborn koto

 **When Will** : yeah!! youre not our middleman

 **Return from the War** : we love you too

 **When Will** : yeah <3

 **My Husband** : (〃ﾉωﾉ)

 **Goodbye Despair** : can you lovebirds take that somewhere else

 **Return from the War** : lol jealous, sis?

 **Goodbye Despair** : ew why would i be jealous with your boring trio

 **Return from the War** : says the girl who dated yusuke

 **Goodbye Despair** : pffft imma kill YOU

 **Return from the War** : like hell you can

 **Im Here Too** : oof

 **Hall Monitor** : Alright, it's time to stop!!!

 **Hall Monitor** : ┏┓   
┃┃╱╲ there  
┃╱╱╲╲ will  
╱╱╭╮╲╲ be  
▔▏┗┛▕▔ no killing  
╱▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔╲   
in this house  
╱╱┏┳┓╭╮┏┳┓ ╲╲   
▔▏┗┻┛┃┃┗┻┛▕▔

 **I Cant Believe Its Not Butter** : did he just

 **[hacker voice]** : dad is learning <3

 **Goodbye Despair** : chill bro we're not rly gonna kill each other

 **Return from the War** : she's rite

 **Hall Monitor** : I will not be taking any chances!

 **I Cant Believe Its Not Butter** : thats my bae

 **Goodbye Despair** : awww u care <3 love u dads

 **Hall Monitor** : Oh, dear. Now you've done it.

 **[hacker voice]** : hey I'm the only one who can call them dads

 **[hacker voice]** : JunkHoe

 **When Will** : oof

 **Return from the War** : hahahah daaamn

 **Goodbye Despair** : hory shet im scurred

 **[hacker voice]** : I will cut you up )xxxxx[;;;;;;;;;>

 **My Husband** : Please, no fighting!

 **[hacker voice]** : omg ok, sorry koto ;w;

 **Goodbye Despair** : fine, since you asked nicely, bro in law

 **When Will** : Now that's out of the way...

 **When Will** : We must discuss something important!

 **When Will** : **@everyone**

 **Richkid** : This better be worthy of my time.

 **Whatever floats your goat** : I assure you, byakuya, your words don't weigh any more than everyone else's

 **I Love Donuts** : Spoken like a true queen, my dear Asahina.

 **Im Here Too** : hah! To be lumped in with me is the Ultimate Insult

 **Poker Face** : Now that we are done dragging his highness, let's get down to business.

 **[hacker voice]** : to defeat... the Huns!

 **When Will** : Did they send me daughters,

 **My Husband** : when I asked for sons?

_**Richkid** went offline_

**Return from the War** : You're the saddest bunch I ever met

 **Whatever floats your goat** : But you can bet before we're through

 **Doujins Are Good** : Mister, I'll make a man out of you!

 **Whatever floats your goat** : Ok we're done

 **Poker Face** : If it's any consolation, it was cute while it lasted.

 **When Will** : Right, back to actual business

 **When Will** : someone ask his highness to come back online

 **When Will** : please

 **Aho** : I'll do it, princess

 **Return from the War** : tsk tsk

 **Return from the War** : Nice guys(tm) finish last

 **My Husband** : but I am a nice guy?

 **When Will** : not that kind boo <3

 **Return from the War** : you are beyond the system, Koto

 **My Husband** : /////////

 **Im Here Too** : oh my godsss

 **Im Here Too** : leon just pitched a ball into byakuya's room

 **Im Here Too** : theres a hole in his door now

 **Goodbye Despair** : hahaha for once, it aint me starting shit I love it

 **Hall Monitor** : ffs

 **I Cant Believe Its Not Butter** : ah, that cant be good

 **Poker Face** : I am appalled that we are regressing into our teenage selves. How unsightly.

 **Doujins are Good** : But we are teenagers?

 **Poker Face** : Goddamnit.

_**Richkid** is online_

**Richkid** : So whose great idea was it to send the baseball peasant to inform me to get back online?

 **When Will** : he volunteered himself?

 **Aho** : betrayed by my love

 **Return from the War** : why you little bitch

 **When Will** : don't you have Ibuki already

 **Aho** : sorry, force of habit

 **Ice Queen** : No more petty fights, or delays. What is that important business you wanted to discuss, Sayaka?

 **When Will** : Right! Well I was thinking...

 **When Will** : We should throw class 79 a housewarming party!

 **When Will** : It's kinda long overdue actually

 **Whatever floats your goat** : oooo i'm so down with that!!!

 **Ice Queen** : I am pleased with that idea.

 **My Husband** : Yaaaas! We should coordinate with class 77!

 **Hall Monitor** : *salutes*

 **Poker Face** : Let us discuss the necessary plans in haste.

 

–

_5/08/2018_

 

 **5:56AM** **HOPE'S PEAK FACULTY GC**

 

 **Reverse Matador** : Remind me again why the Madarai brothers aren't in on this gc

 **Jin** : They talk to each other too much

 **Jin** : using one account

 **Reverse Matador** : ah

 **Farmville** : Are you in the faculty building now, Gozu?

 **Reverse Matador** : Yes

 **Candy Crush** : daaaamn and I just woke up

 **Chisa Pizza** : same, gurl

 **Farmville** : Can you check something on my desk for me. See if there's a blue folder

 **Farmville** : It should be on top of my desk, if not, inform me

 **Jin** : **@Chisa Pizza** **@Candy Crush** bad work habits, I see

 **Will Die Of Alcohol Poisoning** : you cant claim the high ground when you just entered the shower

 **Chisa Pizza** : you bring your phone with you in the shower,?

 **Chisa Pizza** : gross who does that

 **Frosty the Swordsman** : You used to send me your shower selfies.

 **Chisa Pizza** : wow thanks I never thought an old flame would betray me at all

 **Sucker Punch** : lol

 **Candy Crush** : Um... Kizakura-san, how did you know Kirigiri-san just entered the shower?

 **Jin** : …

 **Will Die Of Alcohol Poisoning** : Hm,

 **Will Die Of Alcohol Poisoning** : well you see

 **dont google your symptoms** : please don't answer that when you aren't sober, Kizakura-san

 **Ultimate Fossil** : can you meddling kids quiet down with all that racket

 **Chisa Pizza** : ruh roh

 **Candy Crush** : jinkies! it's the feds

 **Frosty the Snowman** : Let's split, gang

–

 

The steady hum of the office air-conditioning unit was the only other sound Gozu could hear other than his popping message notification. Outside, the hazy grey coat over the surroundings filters out as the sun begins to peak out from the horizon. Gozu takes a sip of his morning coffee, fresh from the coffee machine Munakata kindly donated at the behest of Yukizome. He is proud of this early routine, as he gets a lot of work done before the other more rambunctious staff members file in. Today however, there wasn’t much to do before his PE class on the Reserve Course.

 

He goes over the papers Kirigiri forwarded him yesterday, neatly piled on top of his desk prior to his inspection. Oddly enough, it was just application forms of his homeroom class, 79A, and seeing the papers immediately give him a heartwarming feeling. Gozu wasn’t a teacher for very long, he was a professional wrestler in his 20s and a very successful one (as assured by being an HPA student) but by the time he hit 30, he also hit a snag in his wrestling career. Early 30s was far too young to retire from his favorite sport given his stellar record, but it was no longer giving him the same fulfillment back when he was young and reckless and starving to be a conqueror. While he was already in the process of leaving an impressive legacy in the entertainment business, he was beginning to yearn for a smaller, but impactful legacy: imparting knowledge. So being offered to teach in his alma mater was an amazing privilege, and now, getting his own homeroom class was a dream come true.

 

While he arranges the forms on his desk, Gozu intermittently glances at the conversation unfolding in their faculty groupchat. It warms his heart to see how goofy the other staff members could be. Deep down, still kids at heart. Munakata surprisingly has a childish core within him, granted that he acted so stiff and professional most of the time. _I suppose that's what happens when you're forced to act like an adult at a young age_. He wonders if Shinguji has an inner core like that, and truly wishes he had. He needed to have fun too.

 

Pleased with finishing his small task, he gathers up his Reserve Course class record and a small change of clothes neatly packed in a small bag and passes Bandai's desk to check for the blue folder like he asked. Bandai was a close friend even back in the day during his time in Hope's Peak. Gentle and whimsical, he has a comforting presence around him although he's more cynical now ever since working as a teacher in HPA. His large build doesn't match his caring persona, much like Gokuhara... and Hoshi. Despite the smaller boy's stern facade, Gozu can sense a tenderness inside him. All the more so with the gentle giant that is Gokuhara, whose kindness and naivety is displayed front and center.

 

Bandai's desk was situated near the storage room, and only two desks away from his. It was possible to accomplish the task without needing to leave his desk, but it was impossible to see anything past Yukizome's unorganized clatter, which is unfortunately the desk in front of him. Yukizome was odd and quirky; she acts ditzy most of the time, but she is a rather competent homeroom teacher and a likeable co-worker. There's also that underlying abrasiveness bubbling beneath her skin that only ever shows up when the men act out of hand. She reminds him of Akamatsu, Chabashira and Momota, ever cheerful and friendly with an inner tenaciousness.

 

–

 **Reverse Matador** : **@Farmville** blue folder's here

 **Chisa Pizza** : wait why am I scooby doo

 **Farmville** : Thanks! Another favor tho

 **Frosty the Swordsman** : you brought that upon yourself

 **Farmville** : Can you give that to Madarai

 **Farmville** : I'll be running late today, don't have time to pick that up from the office

 **Reverse Matador** : you gotta be specific tho

 **Farmville** : Whoever Madarai is stationed in front of faculty today

 **Farmville** : I never bother checking

 **Ultimate Fossil** : Same, they all look and sound the same

 **Chisa Pizza** : They also have the same last name!

 **Farmville** : That's a very good observation, Yukizome.

 **Reverse Matador** : Oh my goood LOL

–

 

Gozu takes the blue folder from the table, adding it to his things he bundled in his forearm. He exits the office and makes his way downstairs, greeting Izayoi as he passes by him on the way. He considers Izayoi a respectable co-worker. He has an amazing work ethic, his insane loyalty to his girlfriend considered; he was punctual, well-mannered and an effective Science teacher. His efficiency and collectedness is akin to Tojo's, although Izayoi is notably less constrained. Perhaps there's more to the maid's frigid, utilitarian attitude than meets the eye.

 

Descending the last few steps, he spots Gekkogahara on her wheelchair waiting idly for the elevator at the lobby. He greets her before rounding the corner toward the exit, abruptly stopping when he sees her motion at him to come nearer. “Ah, good morning to you too, Gozu-san, a moment please.”

 

“Yes, did you need something?”

 

Gekkogahara hands him a brown envelope. “I hope you don't mind. Can you drop this over at the clinic? Kimura-san is already there.”

 

Gozu gingerly takes the folder from her, adding it to bundle hooked in his other arm. “Of course, I don't mind a little detour. And frankly I am a bit early for class.”

 

Gekkogahara smiles at him before saying, “Ever passionate.” She then rubs her temples and sighs. “Wish there were more willing teachers like you. The younger ones we've been getting were just forced into this profession.”

 

 _One person comes to mind..._ “Ah, perhaps they'll learn to love it on the job.”

 

“I doubt that will improve her attitude. I wish Kirigiri-san didn't have to resort to that desperate attempt to hire new staff. Now we're stuck with that troublesome confectioner. She's even more unbearable than Towa-chan.” Gekkogahara rambles on, not really noticing the elevator is ready, and Gozu had to hold the doors before signaling her to board the elevator. “Oh, so sorry about that, Gozu-san. Getting to talk to fellow adults is hard to come by. Thank you and I'll see you around.” He bids her farewell just as the doors close.

 

Meeting Gekkogahara was such a rarity and only because she already has enough to deal with, being the head of Hope's Peak Academy's Elementary School Division apart from being the Math teacher. It's also why she hardly ever speaks in the groupchat. Contrary to her 'cryptid reputation,' Gekkogahara is a chatty person, if a bit bashful at times. It actually reminds him of Saihara and Yumeno. Both of them shy, yet show a more unguarded, talkative versions of themselves when with people they are close with.

 

Gozu finally exits the building and comes face to face with Madarai, not entirely sure which brother he is right now. He hands him the blue folder. “Madarai, Daisaku told me to leave this with you. He'll be fetching it some time later.”

 

“Yes, he has given me prior notice.” Madarai's mouth barely moved as he spoke, and his tongue sticking out, on top of his slit-shaped, lizard-like eyes, just gave him a more creepy aura. There's a pregnant pause between them when Madarai speaks again, “So, off to your cl--”

 

“Yes, yes. It was nice chatting. Goodbye,” Gozu says as he brisk walks away. He quickly enters the side entrance to the Main Building of Hope's Peak. He supposes that was rude of him to just escape like that, but the Madarai brothers had this eerie vibe with them. They don't seem to be unpleasant people, but it was difficult to get along with them given their quirks-- much like Yonaga and Iruma. The former was quite eccentric and it would be a lie to say that it didn't creep him out when she would express her _questionable_ island customs with utmost nonchalance. The latter, on the other hand, was excessively vulgar but mostly harmless. Understandably, she isn't a very approachable person. _Perhaps I should learn to relate with them better..._

 

He rounds a corner and takes a short flight of stairs to the mezzanine floor of the building. A few more strides later and he is in front of the clinic. He knocks on the open door. “Kimura?” He doesn't really wait for her response, and lets himself in. The door to the clinic was quite small for his size, and he had to duck if he didn't want to risk breaking the doorframe. Both ceiling and floor were low, giving him enough elevation to stand up straight but his large frame was still taking so much space in the small room. _Why is the clinic built like this..._

 

Kimura calls out, “O-Oh, Gozu-san. Hello. Can I help you with anything?” Some sounds of shuffling and rattling glasses later, she emerges from a room, carrying with her a tray of bottles. She quickly places them on the table, making some pieces of paper fly off to the floor.

 

“Seems like you're the one who needs help though.” Gozu immediately drops down and collects the scattered papers, all the while Kimura fusses about. Once done, he hands him the papers, along with the envelope from Gekkogahara. “This one's from Gekkogahara. Take it easy from time to time.”

 

“Thank you, Gozu-san. I wish Ruruka was as considerate as you,” Kimura says in a somber tone as she placed the documents on her table. She flinches a moment later, an expression of panic plastered on her face when she looks up at him. “N-Nevermind that last part.”

 

Gozu nods in understanding, giving her a small smile. He bids her goodbye and makes his way out. _Ando really is that bitch, isn't she._

 

“Gozu-san, mind the--”

 

The top of the doorframe was now falling apart by the time Gozu realizes he was supposed to duck. With a sheepish smile, he looks back at the wrecked door and a horrified Kimura. “Are you alright, Gozu-san? Do you need bandages?” She asks.

 

“No need. I'm alright. Although the door, is not. I'll page Yoko for repairs later. I must get going,” Gozu says as he brushes off any debris on his forehead. He makes his way to the east side of the building. Kimura was a nice young lady; accommodating and caring towards the students (notably more on animals), but very reserved and antsy. Gozu can't help but see Shirogane in her. And for that, he worries that someone might take advantage of her submissive nature, much like Ando did to Kimura.

 

Ando was, by all accounts, an unlikeable person. Although they both have a purely professional treatment of each other, he notices she is more snarky and condescending towards those near her age group. Thankfully, she appears kind towards her students but did have a tendency to talk ill about anyone she particularly dislikes (and it personally grates him if it's his homeroom class). Her caustic behavior can be seen in Ouma, although he seems less malicious but more on being a nuisance in intent.

 

As he makes his way through the mezzanine hallway, he catches a glimpse of a series of buildings from a small window. At the end of the hallway, he turns to descend a flight of stairs and exits through a metal double door. The sight of the towering Reserve Course buildings immediately greet him, though there was no feeling of grandeur to be felt from the drab-looking rectangular structures. _I do hope treatment of the Reserve Course has improved, after all the issues caused by the Ultimate Hope program..._

 

“Yo, Gozu.”

 

Gozu blinks in surprise. “Oh? Sakakura, what are you doing here?”

 

Sakakura shrugs, stepping aside to let the wrestler pass. “Subbing for Madarai what's-his-name. Apparently, he got sick or something. I'm surprised not all of the brothers got sick.”

 

“Hm, but don't you have a class with 78A today?”

 

“Yeah, I put Oogami and Owada in charge for today's activities. Pretty sure they can manage to straighten up the rest.”

 

Gozu snickers. “You wouldn't really want that, given you're hardly straight...”

 

Sakakura looks dumbfounded for a moment before his eyes narrow, the tips of his ears also redden. He waves him off. “Har, har. Never heard that one before.”

 

“Oh, and a friendly reminder. Don't sucker punch students, okay?” Gozu says, before sprinting off to escape Sakakura's subsequent outburst. Sakakura was your typical tough guy with a rough facade but with a soft underlying personality. Harukawa seemed to be that kind of person. Given her dangerous talent, it was nice to see that she was actually docile and courteous, if a bit introverted and dismissive. She was also a bit of a loner, much like Sakakura was when he first met him in a crowd of spectators for a boxing match. _I guess, given enough time, Harukawa would warm up to her classmates too._

 

The pathway towards the gym overlooks a lush garden surrounding a fountain at the center; it's one of the many courtyards of Hope's Peak and considered as the most beautiful one. Main Course students would often visit this place for its charming, cool aura, and Main Course faculty members weren't an exception. Gozu spots a familiar sleeping figure on one of the benches. He checks his watch, _6:39am, I still have time_ , before making his way toward the slumbering Kizakura. He nudges at the scout, who promptly falls down to the ground, not quite awake yet. Kizakura did not look presentable at the moment, more so than he usually is, with his unbuttoned longsleeved polo, fully loose tie, unfastened belt and his unkempt tuxedo coat draped around him. Gozu picks up the fedora that has fallen by his feet and takes a seat on the bench beside the sprawled out Kizakura. He spots a canister hidden among the bushes and holds it up to his face. He doesn't need to take a whiff of the container to know what liquid was inside it. _Classic Kizakura_. The man's carefree and relaxed demeanor is similar to that of Amami. He wonders if Amami also has a vice that helps him keep 'calm.'

 

Kizakura finally stirs from his nap. “Mhm...oh, hey... Gozu? Heyyy.”

 

“I thought you were with Kirigiri,” Gozu says in a teasing tone while he rolls the canister in his palms.

 

Kizakura yawns.“Yeah, but he kicked me out... after that thing with the groupchat... Sheesh.” He rubs the back of his head and does some short stretches. Gozu chuckles, then hands him the canister. “Oh, thanks. Want some?”

 

Gozu shakes his head. “I want to remain sober for my class.” Kizakura shrugs, he unscrews the lid and takes a swig of the drink. He lifts himself off the ground and takes a seat beside Gozu. He fixes his belt shortly after.

 

“What do you think of the new security measures Future Foundation has in store for us?”

 

“I think they should stop meddling with our affairs,” Gozu replies with clenched teeth.

 

“Been telling Jin to stop playing with fire, too,” Kizakura sighs, taking another swig of his drink. “But there's not much he can do when the Board's out to get his ass for it.”

 

“They haven't learned yet? After all that's happened since that 'secret project,' those dirty old bastards...”

 

Kizakura begins buttoning his shirt. “Dirty old bastards they are, indeed. Jin's just cleaning up after Tengan so... we're at a shit end of a legacy.”

 

“And Tengan still has his watchful eye over us...”

 

“Yep.”

 

“Damn.”

 

Silence stretches over them for a few minutes before Kizakura speaks again. “Not all of the Future Foundation members are asses though. The professor... who whusitagen. His kid's in your class. The one with the robots.”

 

“Ah, do you mean Iidabashi Kiibo?”

 

“Yeah, yeah! His dad seems cool. He's a bit eccentric but he doesn't take shit from Tengan. I can roll with that.”

 

“Truly both father and son share their awkwardness, but they can both be headstrong when the time comes.”

 

“Mhm, you should grade his kid with high marks for having a cool dad.”

 

“That's not a very fair assessment, don't you think?”

 

Kizakura fixes his tie. “Hey, if you're late, do you think your students would grade you fairly when it comes to evaluation?”

 

“What?!” Gozu hastily stands up, before glancing at his watch. 7:05AM. “Ah, I still have to get changed! Damn you, Kizakura!” He promptly sprints off, not bothering to look back at the scout.

 

Kizakura yells, “If it makes you feel better, I don't think students even bother reading evaluation forms!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nickname guide:
> 
> HPA STAFF
> 
> Chisa Pizza: yukizome  
> Frosty the Swordsman: munakata  
> Sucker Punch: sakakura  
> Will Die Of Alcohol Poisoning: kizakura  
> Jin: kirigiri  
> Ultimate Fossil: tengan  
> Farmville: bandai  
> Reverse Matador: great gozu  
> Candy Crush: ando  
> Sword Daddy: izayoi  
> dont google your symptoms: kimura
> 
> \--  
> Would Rather Be Stuck In An Island (77B)
> 
> Screw You: Soda  
> I Need Healing: Tsumiki  
> Trash(tm): Komaeda  
> Bokeh: Koizumi  
> baby gangsta: Kuzuryu  
> Hash Slinging Slasher: Pekoyama  
> True Protagonist: Hinata/Kamukura  
> Valid Gamer Gril: Nanami  
> The Princess Is In Another Castle: Sonia  
> Heir to the Throne: Twogami  
> IM PUNK ROCK: Mioda  
> One For All: Nidai  
> runt of the litter: Saionji  
> Started from the Bottom: Hanamura  
> food vacuum: Owari  
> Welcome to the Black Parade: Tanaka
> 
> \--  
> THE OG CLASS (78A)
> 
> Aho: Kuwata  
> Richkid: Togami  
> Will Cut A Bitch: Fukawa/Syo  
> When Will: Maizono  
> My Husband: Naegi  
> Return from the War: Ikusaba  
> Goodbye Despair: Enoshima  
> Im Here Too: Hagakure  
> Doujins are Good: Yamada  
> Whatever floats your goat: Asahina  
> I love Donuts: Ogami  
> I Cant Believe Its Not Butter: Owada  
> [hacker voice]: Fujisaki  
> Poker Face: (Celestia Ludenburg) Yasuhiro  
> Hall Monitor: Ishimaru  
> Ice Queen: Kirigiri Kyoko


	15. Special: Announcement + Character designs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **ShirogaNYA** : This chapter is like that back part of the manga where the mangaka reveals some character design notes or early sketches.
> 
>  **White Knight In Shining Armor** : wwat

**A/N: Heads up guys, the narrative prose format will start becoming the majority writing style starting with the following arc.** (trying to practice writing more ;w; and i'm running out of memes to insert in the chat lol)

 **Also, relationship progress on ships will be somewhat retconned. When I reread the first parts of the fic, I realized that it was going too fast for a story that progressed by days/weeks (actual time within the narrative) and it was supposed to be Slow Burn. The hot mess is to be expected since *I* didn’t make an outline beforehand (the story was adlib’d til the 12th chapter can you believe) AND I didn’t foresee the story could grow beyond being just a memey chatfic. I might rewrite the first parts someday.** (EDIT: screw it, I'm rewriting it when I can) **Anyway, no story update today but enjoy some character designs of the v3 kids I made for this AU~**

**(Fic will still be updated this weekend as scheduled :D)**

Here is thy secret to their OOCness but still in-character personalities (I'm not sure if I managed to portray these properly within the narrative huhu). I tweaked them a bit so they don't feel flat (nerf in-game Kirumi pls) and to fit them in a non-despair setup (Maki, Kiyo :/). Oh, and some of the mentioned close friendships don't happen til a little later. The additional info is mostly my headcanons, though their likes/dislikes from canon still apply ie Kaede likes piano keys/dislikes bicycles

Characterization notes:

 **Kaede Akamatsu** : The cheerful, charismatic and kind pianoholic who promotes friendship and cooperation, earning her the position of Class Representative. Selfless and empathetic to a fault, but can be quite pushy and bossy. Behind her confident facade, Kaede is insecure of not being able to live up to her responsibilities believing that all she’s ever good at is playing the piano, going by a ‘fake it til you make it’ attitude so as not to disappoint the people that relied on her ‘leadership.’ She has a tendency to be tactless towards people when very annoyed or under extreme stress. (Instead of her piano piece references shoehorned into her dialogue, she'll express her love for the Classical period)

 _Add_ : While not a very good cook, Kaede is an experienced baker.

 _Closest friend/s_ : Shuichi (childhood best friend), Rantaro, Kaito, Maki, Kirumi, Tenko (she is at least good friends with everyone in class tho)

 **Shuichi Saihara** : The meek and soft-spoken detective in training who eventually fills the role of assistant class rep to Kaede. Level-headed and intelligent, Shuichi shows promise of being proactive and responsible, but has difficulty in asserting himself due to confidence issues. He can be very emotional, prone to easily cry when overwhelmed by negative emotions. He also struggles with depression at times, although he tries to hide it as best he could. To people he is close with, Shuichi can be quite sassy and would joke about his ‘emo aesthetic.’

(When Shuichi wore his hat, his necktie is the standard red one)

 _Add_ : Shuichi is an avid fan of all things detective (looks up to Kyoko Kirigiri, has a sizable collection of Nancy Drew Books and Detective Conan Manga, retweets a lot of Sherlock Holmes quotes etc.)

 _Closest friend/s_ : Kaede (childhood best friend), Kaito, Maki, Kokichi, Kiibo

 **Kokichi Ouma** : The self proclaimed supreme leader, he is a compulsive liar and prankster, fond of being disruptive and annoying towards his peers. He is surprisingly intuitive, and often uses this trait to get on the nerves of everyone, as well as giving advice in the guise of mocking criticism. While he tends to lie a lot, it’s not as outrageous and over the top (like in-game), and he would never push the buttons of anyone who was already distressed. Behind his outward unpleasantness, Kokichi has a soft side, something that he dreads ever showing to his classmates.

 _Add_ : Kokichi doesn’t know how to dance.

 _Closest friend/s_ : Rantaro, Shuichi

 **Maki Harukawa** : The surly, unapproachable ‘assassin’ who is the walking definition of a tsundere. She dislikes socializing with her classmates, mostly because of her inability for small talk and difficulty to relate with her peer group as she spent most of her time dealing with children (in the orphanage). Maki is blunt but not unkind, and may be occasionally dismissive but (secretly) greatly appreciates those who reach out to her. Being emotional is Maki’s greatest pet peeve, making her great at compartmentalizing and repressing her emotions.

 _Add_ : Maki was physically conditioned and trained to be an assassin but it was for her to be Motion Capture stunt girl for an assassin-centric game. Has not killed anyone in real life, but physically can if desired.

 _Closest friend/s_ : Kaito, Shuichi, Kaede

 **Kaito Momota** : The loud-mouthed and passionate astronaut who likes to give pep talks more than Kaede. Kaito pretty much keeps the class lively with his dumb antics. Despite his air of stupidity, he is quite street smart and a good judge of character. He has patriarchal views on gender roles, naturally irking most of his female peers. Additionally, he is hot-headed, stubborn and very competitive. True to his very upbeat and positive persona though (+ male machismo), he dislikes showing weakness/ appearing weak. Kaito suffers from Pneumonia, hence he coughs a lot.

 _Add_ : Kaito makes the best omelettes.

 _Closest friend/s_ : Maki, Shuichi, Kaede, Ryoma (one-sided)

 **Rantaro Amami** : The lax and enigmatic adventurer who likes to meme, apart from traveling the world. Rantaro has a big brother vibe to him, but can be quite silly at times. He is fond of recounting experiences about his travels, often retelling them in a more imaginative version. Despite his nonchalant approach on everything, Rantaro is very particular on people’s perspective of him. He craves to be an important figure among his classmates, just like his central role on his siblings’ lives.

 _Add_ : Rantaro has a Youtube channel where he makes travel vlogs in the style of Bear Grylls’ Man VS Wild. (user handle: Avocad0nt)

 _Closest friend/s_ : Tsumugi (middle school bestfriend), Kokichi, Kaede, Kiibo, Korekiyo

 **Kirumi Tojo** : The responsible and mature maid with a strict adherence to her creed on selfless devotion. Kirumi is very capable of doing any (reasonable) task given to her, completing them with practiced efficiency. Taking her talent more seriously, she appears impassive and mechanical to her classmates. Her maid schtick is actually a conscious effort for her; beneath the carefully-maintained frigid and collected persona is a shy and anxious Kirumi with personal whims and ambitions. Having a good sense of humor, she would sometimes tease her classmates in some way or another (which always takes them by surprise). She has a high sense of self-importance cleverly masked by her sympathetic, humble persona.

 _Add_ : Kirumi is a closet literary bookworm, and has a collection of cheesy, young adult romance novels (may or may not own some raunchy ones).

 _Closest friend/s_ : Ryoma, Kaede

 **Korekiyo Shinguji** : The studious and aloof anthropologist who revels in the beauty of humanity. Kiyo likes to observe people, mentally taking note of the intricacies of human nature, although this hobby of his isn’t taken kindly by some. Ambitious and resourceful, he spends a lot of time reading to further his knowledge. In turn, he is quite socially inept and often scares away any ‘potential friend’ with his intelligent ramblings. He is very close with his sickly older sister, but gets annoyed with her fussiness.

 _Add_ : He is a capable illustrator, often adding sketches on his journal of anthropological notes.

 _Closest friend/s_ : Rantaro, Gonta, Angie

 **Tsumugi Shirogane** : The quirky cosplayer and talented seamstress with a habit of referencing popular and obscure pop culture stuff. Tsumugi is an avid fan of a lot media, from games to animes to TV shows, both western and japanese, often spending most of her time in her room to indulge in her fandoms. She also has a tendency to break the fourth wall and would reference the ‘NDRV3 canon universe.’ Tsumugi is quite insecure of her geeky side, and is a bag of nerves when under the spotlight. She is cowardly and unable to stand her ground, often playing for both sides in an argument in an effort to please both.

(the only one wearing the HPA uniform without modifications lol)

 _Add_ : She is a big fan of Junko Enoshima (a fashion blogger with her own brand of clothing).

 _Closest friend/s_ : Rantaro (middle school bestfriend)

 **Ryoma Hoshi** : The stoic and detached Pro Tennis player who is very fond of felines. Ryoma likes to spend most of his time alone and would often disappear to god knows where. He is profound and insightful, open to giving advice freely to those in need. While very patient, he is vindictive and unforgiving to those who wronged him horribly. His whole family was murdered by a mafia group (leaving him with just the family cat) and he has since personally chased leads that will bring the perpetrators to justice. Despite his pursuit of the killers, he is not interested in delivering justice on his own and merely conducted his own investigation to aid law enforcement.

 _Add_ : Ryoma has a folder of cat game apps on his phone, his favorite in particular being Neko Atsume.

 _Closest friend/s_ : Kirumi, Gonta

 **Gonta Gokuhara** : The gentle giant with a fascination on animals, particularly insects. Gonta is good-natured (very kind, polite and honest) but naive and childish. In spite of this, he cannot be easily tricked by Kokichi and would sometimes even join in on roasting him. He wants to be a gentleman and really tries his best to exhibit qualities of such. While not academically smart (being raised in the wild), he has extensive knowledge on flora and fauna. Gonta has bouts of self-doubt, believing himself to be incapable of anything. He can be very hard on himself and would do reckless things to prove himself.

 _Add_ : Contrary to most of his classmates’ impression on him, Gonta is not technologically challenged. He plays Overwatch in his free time (he mains Bastion).

 _Close friend/s_ : Ryoma, Korekiyo

 **Miu Iruma** : The lewd and brash inventor with onion skin. Miu is outspoken and campy, often considered obnoxious by her classmates. She likes to make dirty jokes and projects an air of self-importance, but is also quick to deflate when reprimanded or talked back at. Being neglected her whole life, Miu wants attention, hence her over the top personality but this in turn made her a deplorable person. She spends most of her time building knickknacks to stave off the loneliness she feels. Over time, she does try to be less of a difficult person.

 _Add_ : Miu makes a paper crane every night for _Senbazuru_ (Thousand Origami Cranes). She started this endeavor back in middle school.

 _Close friend/s_ : Kiibo

 **Kiibo Idabashi**  (not a Robot): The well-meaning and pacifistic Robotics Engineer that has a difficulty in relating with his fellow humans. Kiibo has lived a very sheltered life and has not been exposed to any social interaction with his age group prior to his enrollment at Hope’s Peak, making him quite stiff and robotic. He is very shy and apprehensive at speaking in class or called to recitation. He is also wimpy, but can get very defensive of his robotic creations.

 _Add_ : Kiibo missed out a lot on his childhood, so class 79 would often indulge him on what he was deprived of (like having pizza, playing tag and watching animated films).

 _Close friend/s_ : Miu, Shuichi, Rantaro

 **Tenko Chabashira** : The energetic and cheerful aikido master who loves to defend girls from the degenerate MENaces. Tenko loves to be active, often encouraging the girls to exercise (especially those with a sedentary lifestlye). A fiery character, she wears her emotions on her sleeves and reacts strongly on impulse. She has a on a hair trigger temper, especially if the aggressor involves a guy and has a tendency to be physically violent. Tenko’s distaste towards men in general stems from a dark past: she and her mother suffered abuse from her own father [further elaborated later on]. 

 _Add_ : She is an adept shogi and chess player.

 _Close friend/s_ : Himiko, Angie, Kaede

 **Himiko Yumeno** : The resident sloth who also happens to be a magician (er… mage). Himiko is very lethargic, dislikes doing almost any physical activity, often trying to weasel her way out of doing assigned tasks and the like. She isn’t dismissive of social interaction though, and is quite talkative when you start a conversation with her. She loves to watch youtube videos and web series, particularly Korean drama. She is good at math, and would tutor Angie and Tenko when pestered enough.

 _Add_ : Himiko is ambidextrous, and can seamlessly use chopsticks with her left hand.

 _Close friend/s_ : Tenko, Angie

 **Angie Yonaga** : The eccentric and bubbly artist with a deep devotion to an obscure religion. Angie is a pious devotee of Atua, and is willing to provide for the spiritual needs of her classmates. She loves mentioning unusual habits and customs from her island home, such as blood sacrifices and orgies. Hardly anything fazes her, this nonchalance and ignorance being considered sinister by some of her peers. Even with the best intentions in mind, she sometimes used religion to get what she wanted. She is multilingual, being able to speak her native tongue, English and a decent grasp of Japanese.

 _Add_ : Angie owns four horses that Hope’s Peak allowed her to keep in school (for some reason). Their stables were located at the student/staff parking lot.

 _Close friend/s_ : Korekiyo, Tenko, Himiko

 **Great Gozu** : The former Ultimate Wrestler is now the homeroom teacher of Class 79A. Despite his intimidating physique, he is gentle, patient and very supportive. He becomes quickly attached to class 79A and is quite protective of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Call me, beep me, if ya wanna reach me:
> 
> [tumblr](http://louquorice.tumblr.com/)  
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/lou_quorice)  
> (i don't have a discord server yet i'm sorry ;w;)
> 
> **I take art commissions, in case anyone is interested lol


	16. II: It Ends Tonight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time is nigh to shed old skin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arc two, begins :))
> 
> Ya'll know what's goin down, Mom will kill everyone lol

_05/09/2018_

 

6:12PM

 

 **notto disu shitto agen** : [breaks down door]

 **notto disu shitto agen** : hey gays

 **chaotic lesbean** : hmph, lesbian erasure

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : bi erasure >:(

 **Maki Roll** : ^

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Pan erasure~

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : ,,,,trans erasure smh

 **notto disu shitto agen** : i feel so attacked this is homophobia

 **notto disu shitto agen** : gay is an umbrella term u thots

 **Kork** : I respect usage of such term to refer to the majority of the LGBT+ community but it is not a very good inclusive term for those with far more diverse inclinations.

 **dumb blonde slut** : get cucked

 **notto disu shitto agen** : i

 **notto disu shitto agen** : ok im sorry

 **notto disu shitto agen** : lemme try agen

 **notto disu shitto agen** : [fixes door]

 **ShirogaNYA** : I can't believe I'm not the one roleplaying

 **notto disu shitto agen** : [breaks down door agen]

 **notto disu shitto agen** : 

 **notto disu shitto agen** : DO YOU WANNA BUILD A SNOWMAN

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : ,,better,,,,,

 **chaotic lesbean** : now what do you want

 **notto disu shitto agen** : well since you asked nicely

 **notto disu shitto agen** : name changing time!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : im bored of our current nicknames now :(

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : it's not even a month yet since this chat was made

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : why are you complaining about names u lil shit

 **ShirogaNYA** : Kami, the pace of this fic is awful

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : shiroganya wat?

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : we havent named the chat yet btw,,,,,,,,,

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : *shiroganya

 **Kork** : An exceptional observation, Yumeno-san.

 **notto disu shitto agen** : oh yeeee

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : fuck not again

 **ShirogaNYA** : /pats It's alright, Momota-kun

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Angie has a suggestion for the name!~~

 **bitch I am the WAY** : The Cult of Atua

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : uh

 **quail egg** : concerning, yeah

 **Good Noodle** : What about “Gonta & Friends”?

 **ShirogaNYA** : awww That is so cute wtf

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : ,,,,too,,,,pure

 **chaotic lesbean** : im cryinggg

 **dumb blonde slut** : AW heLL NAW

 **Maki Roll** : do you want to die, Iruma

 **Good Noodle** : Harukawa-san please do not kill Iruma-san!

 **Good Noodle** : Gonta is okay if not everyone likes the name!

 **Good Noodle** : We don't have to use it!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : oh thats a relief thank you gonta-chan

 **quail egg** : you're on thin ice, ouma

 **dumb blonde slut** : lMAO

 **Kork** : I think I have conjured up the perfect name for this group chat.

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : wat is it?

 **Kork** : The 10th Circle of Hell

 **ShirogaNYA** : OOOOOOOO title drop, nice

 **ShirogaNYA** : But wait, the author changed the title some chapters ago damn

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : what the fuck is she talking about

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : i cant be the only one bothered by this

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : guys?

 **ShirogaNYA** : this is part of my personality

 **chaotic lesbean** : why does it even bother you so much you menace

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : it's weird??? cmon

 **chaotic lesbean** : DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST WEIRDOS?!!

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : tenko :/

 **quail egg** : yes it's odd but

 **Good Noodle** : What about it, Momota-kun?

 **Maki Roll** : i've stopped questioning anything absurd about this class long ago

 **notto disu shitto agen** : that's shirogane-chan for you

 **Kork** : We've come to expect such behavior from her.

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : wtf guys???!?!?!?

 **ShirogaNYA** : You're a jock character so I don't expect that much sympathy from you :c

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : ,,ur valid shirogane

 **chaotic lesbean** : Yeah just ignore that immature, weirdo-hating degenerate

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : no no i dont mean it like that!!!!!!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : ANYWAY

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : dont change the subject yet!!!

 **notto disu shitto agen** : do yall hear sumn

 

 **notto disu shitto agen** changed **notto disu shitto agen** to **hi welcome to chilis**

 

 **quail egg** : and we're back with the memes

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : ugh fine im dropping it

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : for now

 **hi welcome to chilis** : NISHISHISHI

_**Robot Rights Activist** went online_

**hi welcome to chilis** : thank u for volunteering urself kiiboy

 

 **hi welcome to chilis** changed **Robot Rights Activist** to **Domo Arigato Mr Roboto**

 

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : oohh i love that song!!

 **Domo Arigato Mr Roboto** : Hello friends! I just went online and I must ask, what is happening right now?

 **ShirogaNYA** : A groupchat that was once in harmony

 **ShirogaNYA** : then everything changed when the Ouma attacked

 **Domo Arigato Mr Roboto** : I do not understand?

 **Domo Arigato Mr Roboto** : I am also unfamiliar of the reference to my new nickname.

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : its a good song from the 80s!!

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : a rly iconic one too

 **Domo Arigato Mr Roboto** : Oh I see, I shall add that song to my playlist.

 **Domo Arigato Mr Roboto** : But I am compelled to ask why you have chosen this name for me, Ouma-kun. Do I remind you of an iconic song from the 1980s?

 **hi welcome to chilis** : ya

 **hi welcome to chilis** : u act like a robot

 **hi welcome to chilis** : beep bop

 **dumb blonde slut** : oy

 **Domo Arigato Mr Roboto** : What do you find offensive in robots?! This is robophobia!

 **Kork** : That is not a real word.

 **hi welcome to chilis** : aside from their prophesied takeover of the world someday,

 **hi welcome to chilis** : hm not much

 **Domo Arigato Mr Roboto** : Robophobia!!!

 **dumb blonde slut** : hey lay off kibs you fucking gremlin

 

 **hi welcome to chilis** changed **dumb blonde slut** to **bitch**

 

 **bitch** : eehhhhh

 **quail egg** : that's hardly an improvement from the old one

 **hi welcome to chilis** : nishishishi

 

 **bitch I am the WAY** changed **bitch** to **titty_inator**

 

 **ShirogaNYA** : omg a Doofenshmirtz reference <3

 **bitch I am the WAY** : there you go, Miu~~

 **chaotic lesbean** : girls supporting girlsss <3333

 **titty_inator** : tnx ange, ur still a devil incarnate tho

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Thank you~!!

 **chaotic lesbean** : w

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : what the frick

 **chaotic lesbean** : oh whatever, tenko will change her name before the gremlin does

 

 **chaotic lesbean** changed **chaotic lesbean** to **Girls are Great**

 

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Such a Tenko name! So divine~

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : wait

 

 **Do You Believe In Magic** changed **Girls Are Great** to **Gorls Are Gru8**

 

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : 

**Gorls are Gru8** : bdfjnfjnovdjkdksav

 **titty_inator** : fuuuuuuuuuu

 **Gorls are Gru8** : well done, yumeno-chan!!!!!!!

 **ShirogaNYA** : hlly shiiettt hahahahha

 **bitch I am the WAY** : ~~oh myyyyy

 **Kork** : I applaud you for that clever pun.

 **hi welcome to chilis** : i aint admitting i laughed

 **Mother Knows Best** : Ouma-kun laughed.

 **Mother Knows Best** : In fact, he spit out his drink.

 **hi welcome to chilis** : MOM WHYD U STOP BEING A CRYPTID JUST TO SAY THAT

 **Mother Knows Best** : :)

 **Kork** : How unsettling.

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Oh, when will dinner be ready, Mother?

 **Mother Knows Best** : In a few more minutes. I will be informing everyone should the time come.

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Coolio~

_**imma meme** went online_

**hi welcome to chilis** : perfect

 **imma meme** : omg whats happen

 **imma meme** : who u **@hi welcome to chilis**

 **ShirogaNYA** : Hi Taro! Welcome to hell

 **hi welcome to chilis** : guess who, betch

 **Kork** : Which reminds me,

 **Kork** : Are we all in agreement of 10th Circle of Hell as the chat name?

 **quail egg** : yeah sure

 **imma meme** : we've always been in hell tho?

 **imma meme** : oh were changing names?!?!?!?!

 **imma meme** : nice

 

 **Kork** changed the group name to **10** **th** **Circle of Hell**

 

 **imma meme** changed **ShirogaNYA** to **Rooted for NaruSaku**

 

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : WTF

 **hi welcome to chilis** : osajnjdjdfnfdskldf

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : TARO HOW COULD YOU OUT ME LIKE THIS

 **imma meme** : ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

 **hi welcome to chilis** : how does it feel to see your ship not sail nishishishi

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : ugH shutUP you fucking abortion

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : ,,,,,,oof

 **hi welcome to chilis** : chill four eyes im a hardcore sasunaru shipper ykno

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : ,,,omfg saame

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : You do realize I'm still not in solidarity with your ship

 **hi welcome to chilis** : but like, both our ships never sailed? So,

 **hi welcome to chilis** : solidarity

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : ,,,,,yea no ship wars,,pls

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : Fine

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : This is like arguing with anons who's better paired with Saihara-kun

 **hi welcome to chilis** : wwHAT

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : there's a reddit thread about that

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : theres sucha thing as that.....

 **imma meme** : a price to pay for popularity :(

 **imma meme** : the hopes peak double edged sword

 **hi welcome to chilis** : whos mostly shipped with saihara-chan btw

 **hi welcome to chilis** : asking for a friend

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : I'm not answering that, go check the thread for yourself

 **Kork** : It's best if we stay away from that part of the internet.

 **Good Noodle** : Noted by Gonta!

 **Kork** : Also 4chan, don't ever go there, Gonta-kun.

 **Good Noodle** : Okay!

 **imma meme** : maybe we should just PM him a list

 **Kork** : Yes, that would be excellent.

 **Good Noodle** : Gonta appreciates everyone looking out for him!

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : ack My Heart

 

 **quail egg** changed **Good Noodle** to **Big Toblerone**

 

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : OMG

 **quail egg** : we dont deserve him

 **hi welcome to chilis** : niiiice

 **imma meme** : awwww, suits him!!

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : You guys watched that show??

 **hi welcome to chilis** : ya who do u take me for

 **hi welcome to chilis** : i watch any clusterfuck absurd show

 **Big Toblerone** : What show is Gonta's name referenced from?

 **Big Toblerone** : Gonta wants to watch so he can understand too!

 **quail egg** : neo yokio, it's on netflix

 **Big Toblerone** : Okay! Thank you, Hoshi-kun!

 **imma meme** : truly we dont deserve him huhu

 **titty_inator** : i fucking have no idea what you plebs have been talking about

 **Domo Arigato Mr Roboto** : It is the same with me.

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : Awww don't worry you two!!

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : We can bingewatch some shows together!

 **titty_inator** : not interested four eyes

 **titty_inator** : im too busy tinkering my genius creations

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : oh okay

 **Domo Arigato Mr Roboto** : She did not really mean that, Shirogane-san. We would love to be inducted into a 'fandom,' as you say.

 **titty_inator** : yea ok i guess

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : !!!!!!!

 **Mother Knows Best** : Dinner is ready.

 **hi welcome to chilis** : time to yeet to the kitchen

 **titty_inator** : fucking finallyyyyy

 

–

 

 **hi welcome to chilis** : ok back to name changing

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** : fuck

 **The Only Hope For Me Is You** : Ah, so this is what you guys have been doing in the group chat

 **hi welcome to chilis** : ya

 

 **hi welcome to chilis** changed **The Only Hope For Me Is You** to **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave**

 

 **Kork** : Poetic.

 **hi welcome to chilis** : its a song title!

 **Kork** : I presume it is an 'emo' song title then.

 **hi welcome to chilis** : yep yep

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : Someone did his research

 **hi welcome to chilis** : of course <3

 **imma meme** : ohhhh love that song from panic! at the disco

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : :/

 **hi welcome to chilis** : you had one job amami-chan

 **Maki Roll** : i am insulted

 **imma meme** : im just kiddiinngg

 **imma meme** : it's greenday!

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : /cocks gun

 **Maki Roll** : i'll hold him

 **imma meme** : wait IM JUST

 **imma meme** : its FOB dornt kill mwe

 **Gorls are Gru8** : he dead

 

 **White Knight In Shining Armor** changed **White Knight In Shining Armor** to **COMET me bro**

 

 **Kork** : I rate that pun 4/10

 **hi welcome to chilis** : 5/7

 **COMET me bro** : ITS A GOOD PUN

 **Gorls are Gru8** : we're a tough crowd so deal with it

 **COMET me bro** : why are u always after me chabs

 **Do You Believe In Magic** : ,,,thats a stupid question

 **Gorls are Gru8** : for one, you keep calling me chabs

 **Gorls are Gru8** : and two, you're a boy

 **Big Toblerone** : A sexist boy!

 **Maki Roll** : lol

 **hi welcome to chilis** : daaaaaaaamn

 **Gorls are Gru8** : yes, very good gonta-kun

 **imma meme** : lol mom taught him well

 **Kork** : Oh my, my.

 **COMET me bro** : yall girls are mean

 **Maki Roll** : lol

 **Kork** : Hell hath no fury than a woman scorned.

 **Gorls are Gru8** : title of my sextape

 

 **Gorls are Gru8** changed **Do You Believe In Magic** to **I Put A Spell On You**

 

 **I Put A Spell On You** : thanks tenkooo

 **Gorls are Gru8** : finger guns

 **hi welcome to chilis** : wat spell is dat

 **I Put A Spell On You** : here let me cast it on u,,,,

 **I Put A Spell On You** : poof

 **I Put A Spell On You** : ,,,,ya ugly

 **hi welcome to chilis** : .

 **titty_inator** : lmao get dunk'd

 **hi welcome to chilis** : pfffft can she even reach my height

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : You're not that tall yourself...

 **COMET me bro** : AHAHHAAHHAHAHA

 **hi welcome to chilis** : saihara-chaaaan

 **hi welcome to chilis** : whyyyyyyy

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : :p

 **hi welcome to chilis** : :"0

 **Big Toblerone** : Yumeno-san will be very tall when Gonta carries her!

 **I Put A Spell On You** : nyeh,,, ty gonta

 **Gorls are Gru8** : cuties

 

 **COMET me bro** changed **Maki Roll** to **Assassins Creed _Schoolgirl_**

 

 **Assassins Creed _Schoolgirl_** : ok

 **imma meme** : well it's fitting

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : Wonder when theyll set an AC game in Japan

 **Kork** : Feudal era Japan would make a good backdrop for such a game.

 **COMET me bro** : yeeesssss

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : i'd buy that game in a heartbeat!!

 **hi welcome to chilis** : hey hey harukawa-chan

 **hi welcome to chilis** : this is gonna be weird coz ur an assassin n all

 **hi welcome to chilis** : but have u actually played AC or

 **COMET me bro** : ofc she does!!

 **COMET me bro** : only coz shes an assassin

 **Assassins Creed _Schoolgirl_** : I can answer for myself, momota

 **Assassins Creed _Schoolgirl_** : yes, I've played all of them. I especially like odyssey because of kassandra

 **Assassins Creed _Schoolgirl_** : that woman can strangle me in my sleep and i'd be happy

 **Gorls are Gru8** : <3 <3 <3

 **COMET me bro** : same, but with alexios

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : eyes

 **Kork** : Remarkable, I've never seen Harukawa-san exhibit such behavior before.

 **hi welcome to chilis** : thats the most words ive ever seen u speak in this chat

 **hi welcome to chilis** : as well as the one with most gusto

 **Assassins Creed _Schoolgirl_** : do you two want to die

 **hi welcome to chilis** : ok moving ooon

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : i have one for namechange

 

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** changed **imma meme** to **oregano**

 

 **hi welcome to chilis** : haha fake weedman

 **oregano** : you basic bitches and your basic nicknames for me

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : good

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : I dont want to give you the satisfaction of having a good, funny nickname

 **oregano** : damn mugi what id do to you

 **hi welcome to chilis** : u did expose her trash ship

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : HEY

 **oregano** : o rite

 **oregano** : damn

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : p e r i s h

 **hi welcome to chilis** : hmm who's next?

 **bitch I am the WAY** : Angie will take care of it~~

 

 **bitch I am the WAY** changed **bitch I am the WAY** to **god is dead and we killed him**

 

 **oregano** : well dang

 **COMET me bro** : fuck whatd we do

 **quail egg** : ah eternal damnation

 **quail egg** : that we deserve

 **Kork** : Affirmative.

 **hi welcome to chilis** : god is a man?

 **Gorls are Gru8** : ew

 **oregano** : nah god is a woman

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : and she is ARIANA GRANDE

 **hi welcome to chilis** : WE STAN A KWEEN

 **oregano** : YAAAAAAAAS

 **COMET me bro** : what just happened

 **Assassins Creed _Schoolgirl_** : stop acting like a straight guy, momota

 **god is dead and we killed him** : alrighty~ Angie will be off!~ still have some godly errands to do early in the morning~

 **god is dead and we killed him** : Goodnight everyone!~

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : Goodnight

 **Gorls are Gru8** : goodnight angie-san!

 **I Put A Spell On You** : nyt,,,,,

 **Big Toblerone** : Good night, Angie-san!

 **oregano** : goob nyt

_**god is dead and we killed him** went offline_

**Rooted for NaruSaku** : It's so early for sleep tho

 **oregano** : any time before 4am is too early for u

 **Kork** : That is not healthy, Shirogane-san.

 **oregano** : yea listen to dad

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : ;w;

 **hi welcome to chilis** : AHA!

 **hi welcome to chilis** : whats a good name for u kork.........

 **Kork** : Something intelligent would be good.

 

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** changed **Kork** to **sapiosexual**

 

 **sapiosexual** : Hmm, I was thinking of something more verbose?

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : im tryign

 **oregano** : hold on let me google intelligent stuff

 **oregano** : oh shit did you know the moon landing was fake

 **titty_inator** : yall fucking virgins are such amateurs

 **COMET me bro** : o dang were u here this whole time

 **titty_inator** : chill i was mostly afk

 **titty_inator** : just spent time with myself

 **oregano** : oh godssss

 **COMET me bro** : TMI TMI TMI

 **titty_inator** : burn that image into ur mind astrocunt nyaahahahah

 **sapiosexual** : I would prefer this nickname to whatever Iruma-san can come up with.

 **titty_inator** : too bad

 

 **titty_inator** changed **sapiosexual** to **Homo sapien penile erectus**

 

 **COMET me bro** : fUCK

 **titty_inator** : there u go, intelligent and verbose

 **titty_inator** : it means "human species with hard dick"

 **oregano** : HOLY SHOIIIIT

 **hi welcome to chilis** : HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHSHSHAHAHSS

 **Homo sapien penile erectus** : Unbelievable.

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : JADJDNJS:Sdsja;f:SDJDVDVYDS

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : ICANT BRETAHE

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : i cannoootn wtfd

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : ireuma-san thatsw geniusd

 **titty_inator** : GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

 **titty_inator** : all in a days work for the gorgeous genius iruma miu

 **titty_inator** : thanks for recognizing talent, sluts

 **Homo sapien penile erectus** : Fine, I shall not complain about this too much. But you're on the list now, Iruma-san.

 **titty_inator** : wwot

 **titty_inator** : wat llist??

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : ofuck im still reelign

 **oregano** : i need to catch my breath holy shit

 **COMET me bro** : sai's still laughing and its that silent laugh

 **titty_inator** : u cunts cant u see kork just threatened to kill mre

 **hi welcome to chilis** : yea whatever

 **hi welcome to chilis** : so who hasnt gotten their name changed yet

 **titty_inator** : FUUUUCK

 **Mother Knows Best** : That would be Hoshi-san, Akamatsu-san and myself.

 **hi welcome to chilis** : oh, thanks mom

 

 **hi welcome to chilis** changed **Mother Knows Best** to **Alexa**

 

 **hi welcome to chilis** : this is so sad

 **Alexa** : No, I will not play Despacito.

 **oregano** : lol moommm

 **hi welcome to chilis** : okay so we still have hoshi-chan

 **hi welcome to chilis** : cant think of a good naaame

 **quail egg** : spare me

 

 **I Put A Spell On You** changed **quail egg** to **hard boiled quail egg**

 

 **oregano** : thats

 **hi welcome to chilis** : it works i guess

 **hard boiled quail egg** : but why

 **I Put A Spell On You** : it,,, suits u,,,,

 **hard boiled quail egg** : ok but why

 **I Put A Spell On You** : u have a,,, hard boiled personality,,,,,,

 **I Put A Spell On You** : and,, egg..,,

 **hard boiled quail egg** : thats a sufficient explanation, i accept it

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : All that remains is Kaede's

 

 **titty_inator** changed **Treblemaker** to **fuckthePIANO**

 

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : NO

 **Gorls are Gru8** : Iruma-san!!!! :((

 **hi welcome to chilis** : LOL

 **COMET me bro** : heyyy not cool!

 **Homo sapien penile erectus** : How vulgar. Akamatsu-san would not appreciate your slander like that.

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : ^^^

 **titty_inator** : jeez put yall pants back on

 **titty_inator** : im only kidding

 **titty_inator** : not like shell see it

 **Alexa** : Unless someone took a screenshot.

 **titty_inator** : fuck

 **titty_inator** : none of yall would dare

 **Alexa** : I'm afraid the deed has been done.

 **titty_inator** : mum???

 **titty_inator** : how could u do this to ur own child

 **Alexa** : You are not a child of mine.

 **oregano** : dang, disowned :(

 **Homo sapien penile erectus** : My condolences, Iruma-san.

 **hi welcome to chilis** : rip cum dumpster

 **titty_inator** : eeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhh

 **hi welcome to chilis** : anyway I found the perfect nickname for piano freak

 

 **hi welcome to chilis** changed **fuckthePIANO** to **Der Flohwalzer**

 

 **Homo sapiens penile erectus** : Flea Waltz?

 **Homo sapiens penile erectus** : That is a beginner's level piano piece.

 **hi welcome to chilis** : its basic like her

 **titty_inator** : gahahahahaahah

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : rude

 **hi welcome to chilis** : ok were done

 **hi welcome to chilis** : byyeee

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : what an anticlimactic ending

 

–

9:42PM **The 10** **th** **Circle of Hell**

 

 **Der Flohwalzer** : 99+ messages, what the heck guys

 **Der Flohwalzer** : What

 **Der Flohwalzer** : You guys mass changed nicknames already? This group chat isn't even a month old yet.

 **COMET me bro** : woah how are you online without a phone

 **Der Flohwalzer** : I have a laptop....

 **Gorls are Gru8** : dumbass

 **COMET me bro** : o rite ;;

 **hi welcome to chilis** : nishishishi

 **Der Flohwalzer** : And why is my nickname a beginner's piece??

 **hi welcome to chilis** : other than its basic like you, i felt like its something youd play at your funeral

 **Der Flohwalzer** : WHAT?!

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : oh my god that's ironic

 **Der Flohwalzer** : HUH??

 **hi welcome to chilis** : i swear i have no idea what she meant by that

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the only chatfic format-heavy part of the arc. lots of serious stuff incoming soon~  
> Also, mugi's fandom preferences do no not reflect the author's lol
> 
> Comments/kudos appreciated yall
> 
> new nickname guide:
> 
> hi welcome to chilis: ouma  
> Domo Arigato Mr Roboto: iidabashi  
> titty_inator: iruma  
> Gorls are Gru8: chabashira  
> Rooted for NaruSaku: shirogane  
> Big Toblerone: gokuhara  
> Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave: saihara  
> COMET me bro: momota  
> I Put A Spell On You: yumeno  
> Assassins Creed _Schoolgirl_: harukawa  
> oregano: amami  
> god is dead and we killed him: yonaga  
> Homo sapien penile erectus: shinguji  
> Alexa: tojo  
> hard boiled quail egg: hoshi  
> Der Flohwalzer: akamatsu


	17. II: Dream of Better Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tojo goes about her day as best as she could manage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What better way to follow up the opening than with the POV of one of the highlighted characters in this arc~
> 
> important: Kirumi's bday isn't the date this is updated. It was on May 10, as indicated. Just clarifying because it might cause confusion lol
> 
> art (c) me

 

_05/10/2018_

A sense of consciousness sweeps over Kirumi; being vaguely aware of the blanket hugging her form, hearing the soft hum of the air conditioning unit and feeling the cold air hit her exposed skin, followed by the voluntary feeling she was keeping her eyes closed. She mostly keeps still, enjoying the last bits of drowsiness before it completely drains away, but clenches and unclenches one hand to keep herself from slipping back to sleep. _Get up._ Tilting sideways, she blindly reaches for her phone located at her bedside table, a heaviness present in her movements, and opens one eye before unlocking her phone. The light blinds her for a moment. 04:52am. _Just 4 hours of sleep, huh..._ She turns off her alarm (set for 5:00am) before locking her screen.

Kirumi lies on her back and stares at the ceiling, mentally reviewing her checklist of tasks for the day. Faint streaks of light coming from outside her window provide her otherwise dark room with a dim wash of illumination. Her eyesight eventually adjusts to the darkness. Sitting up, she stretches her arms over her head, the sluggishness leaving her body as she does, before glancing at the cabinet where her maid uniform neatly hung, an odd morning habit of hers. She supposes it was to remind herself she was a maid, in service to others but never to herself. _Or was it to reassure yourself you're still the maid everyone relies on?_   She shakes away those thoughts and gets out of bed, ready to go through this new day.

After brushing her hair and washing her face, she changes out of her sleep clothes: a black tank top and violet pajama pants with spiderweb designs; an ensemble that she muses would give most of her classmates "a stroke" should they see her in it given that they've never seen her wear anything other than her school or maid uniform yet, and into her maid outfit. She was buttoning her long-sleeved shirt when her phone lights up with a ping.

 

 **Mom (** **･** **ω <)☆**

  _Happy Birthday, Kirumi, my darling!! You haven't visited me at the bookstore :( I miss you!! jk I'm just a clingy mom huhuhu focus on your studies ok? But snagging some girls along the way is very much ok too ;) love yooouuuu ♡ ～('▽^人)_

 

Kirumi rolls her eyes, but the corners of her lips twitch upward. Her mother could be quite silly at times. Still, she's very thankful of her supportive, positive nature. And she's the only person who she can interact with unrestrained.

 

**Thanks mom. Jeez, you are so clingy lol and yeah, I can drop by later. Love you**

_｡ﾟ･ ( >﹏<) ･ﾟ｡ Why did I have to get such a mean daughter!!! oh well, no refunds. Guess youre stuck with me too, Rumi LOL xD and yay youll drop by!!! perfect because I have a gift for you <3 see yoouuuu_

**Mom for the last time stop using the XD!!!!**

 

–

Kirumi slips out of her room quietly and makes her way downstairs. The silence of the first floor would drive most people insane, but it is a welcome sound (or lack thereof) for her. It's a moment of quiet that accompanies the beginnings of dusk, the peace only broken as the darkness is lifted with the rise of the sun, just as the majority of her rambunctious peers wake up.

Upon arriving in the kitchen, she takes out the packaged crabmeat from the fridge to thaw. She wasn't one to plan weekday meals since she barely had the luxury of time during the morning rush, opting to cook easy-to-prepare dishes or cook them the night before to be reheated that morning. But today was different than any other weekday. She decides to cook them Creamy Crab and Cognac soup, her favorite comfort food. Her classmates had no idea it was her birthday, not even Hoshi, but it would be selfish not to indulge them with a little 'party.' Gift-wise, she only hopes that this day wouldn't be more taxing than usual. She sets out to the pantry to pull out more ingredients, humming along a tune that first came to mind; a piano piece she's heard Akamatsu play countless of times. Heat creeps on her face. _Shit, focus, Kirumi._

After readying the chopped ingredients and laying out the needed cookware, she starts the electric stove. Melt the butter, pour in the flour, whisk in the milk, mix in the spices, and finally, add the crabmeat. She's prepared this before, countless of times, for her mother and for herself. It was something her mother taught her how to cook after she managed to finish a casserole of it during a stormy night-- a memory she fondly cherishes to this day.

Her favorite part in preparing the dish was stirring in the Cognac, added just before it's about to be served, because she gets to steal a gulp of her _favorite_ drink. Kirumi wasn't an alcoholic by any means, but for all the selfless devotion she'd been doing, she allows herself one desire (or two, if you count a certain pianist) to keep herself grounded. She fishes out the bottle hidden inside the cupboard and pops it open. The fruity aroma immediately cast her into a trance; she almost gives in to temptation of having more than she should. She drops 4 tablespoons of the alcohol into the soup, while having two for herself. It was about 6:00am that time, and she's sure the early birds would be down at any moment.

True enough, Hoshi enters the kitchen, dummy cigarette in mouth and hands inside his shorts pockets. “Morning Tojo,” he simply says. _Early as always_. Kirumi greets him back in kind, with the same tone of casualness. He's seen through her facade from the get-go, and while she didn't take kindly to it at first, they've developed a good friendship with each other. He's also one of the few people she's become comfortable enough to drop her guard on. Hoshi hoists himself up on the counter beside the stove, peering at the pot as she continues to stir the soup. “Mm, that smells good. What's the occasion?”

 _He definitely sees through me so well_. Kirumi scrunches up her nose. “Should there be an occasion for me to prepare some soup?”

Hoshi chuckles. “It's a weekday. And that's not just some powdered soup.”

“Don't overthink it.”

“Fine, I'll drop it. You still gonna cook something else?”

Kirumi turns to him with a perplexed look. “No...”

“So it's just soup this morning, huh... Well, it looks like filling meal on its own.”

“Wait, it's going to be paired with...” Kirumi trails off. Something clicks in her head. “I forgot the rice-- shit.” Without her usual grace, she scrambles to get rice from the storage bin. It's so unprofessional of her to commit such an oversight.

“Woah, easy there. You need help?” Hoshi hops down from the counter. Kirumi politely declines as she mechanically works her way through setting up the two rice cookers. Wordlessly, Hoshi prepares himself coffee with the brewing machine. A part of her wants to insist she do it herself, but her more practical side dissuades her. It's already a blessing that Hoshi was one of the least dependent on her.

Shinguji enters the kitchen, book in hand, and greets them both. The maid straightens up, bowing her head slightly as she says, “Good morning to you as well, Shinguji-san. I apologize but I have not prepared your coffee yet.”

The boy closes his book and turns to her, his eyes narrowing. “I... usually partake of tea in the mornings. Is everything alright, Tojo-san?”

“Ah, but of course, pardon me,” Kirumi quickly says. It's her second blunder this morning alone; it's already one too many blunders she's committed for the whole year. She's royally thrown off her groove, and she supposes it's because of her birthday or it's because of her decision to stray away from routine. _This is so unbecoming of you_. She immediately prepares Himalayan chai tea for the anthropologist.

“Is something the matter, Tojo-san?” Shinguji prompts again. She curses her luck for being stuck with both her closest acquaintance in class and the most observant person she's ever known in the same room.

“I appreciate the concern but all is well. It seems I woke up on a different side of the bed.” Her response appears to have appeased Shinguji, or at least, he wisely discontinued any further prodding. Hoshi accompanies Shinguji at the dining table while Kirumi fixes them up some soup.

“I have to apologize yet again. The rice is not ready yet,” she says, setting down two bowls in front of the boys.

Shinguji looks up from his book. “It is not a bother. Thank you, Tojo-san.”

Some minutes pass, a sense of calmness settles over the room as both boys consume their respective meals in comfortable silence; it helps take her mind off her disastrous morning. It won't be long til the rest of her peers fill the kitchen. Hoshi finishes his meal first, leaving right after he dutifully places his used plate in the dishwasher. Amami arrives some minutes later followed by Chabashira, Yonaga and Yumeno, the latter somewhat still half asleep. Iidabashi, prepped and ready for class, slinks into the kitchen not long after Amami and Shinguji leave. Akamatsu, Harukawa and Momota, already in school uniform, fill in the newly vacated dining table after the holy trinity were done with their meals. By then, the rice was cooked and ready for consumption. Kirumi silently praises the gods things were looking up a bit.

While she was scooping servings of rice for the three new arrivals, Harukawa brews herself some coffee. Akamatsu, on the other hand, gets herself a bowl for the soup. Inwardly, Kirumi praises both girls for their independency as it grants her a brief reprieve. Akamatsu turns to look at Momota, who was happily chatting with Iidabashi at the table, and says, “Momota-kun! Don't wait for Tojo-san to serve you. She's already kind enough to cook for us during mornings, we don't have to trouble her any further.” _Thank you, Akamatsu-san._ Kirumi smiles to herself, pleased with Akamatsu's intervention, but for good measure she pretends to protest, keeping it consistent with her character.

Iidabashi promptly leaves after he's done with his meal, and a while later, Shirogane stumbles into the kitchen still in her pajamas, yawning and rubbing off the sleep from her eyes. Those remaining eat over a lively discussion of Astronomy; Akamatsu displaying a keen interest on the topic while Momota indulges her with information. Harukawa silently eats her breakfast, but Kirumi knows she's listening to the two given how she leans toward whoever was speaking at the moment, while Shirogane interjects here and there with anime references.

All the while, Kirumi stands idly at the sidelines, ever so slightly glancing at the clock every few minutes. Her day often started with fixing up breakfast for her classmates, attend to their additional needs, clean up the kitchen and sweep the first floor before preparing herself for class. _It should always be them first before herself_. As such, she is usually the last one to leave the dorms (save for those special instances when someone oversleeps or calls in sick). Optimally, the bulk of her classmates would go down for breakfast between 6:30am and 7:15am, which usually leaves her enough time for breakfast, a quick shower and a brisk sweep of the hallways while still arriving to class on time.

Today wasn't turning out to be that case, however. It's about 7:20 at the moment, and Saihara, Ouma, Gokuhara and Iruma have yet to show up. She could try sweeping the first floor right now to make good use of time  _but_  she still has to clean up after those still at the dining table, who all seem to be too caught up in their conversation to realize they were supposed to be getting ready for class. And even though she knows Harukawa cleans up after herself, or that Akamatsu would force Momota and Shirogane to be more responsible of their mess-- she just has to keep up with her image of a dutiful maid. So she waits, as patiently as she could.

“Kaede! Kaede! Oh Kami, Kaede!” Saihara stumbles into the kitchen, a frantic look in his eyes. He was still in his sleeping clothes; a matching set of dark blue pajamas, and his hair was ruffled (though he still managed to wear his hat, for some reason). He looked unusually pale, with his skin clammy and lips dry.

Akamatsu jumps out of her seat at the sight of him, immediately at his side. “Woah, woah. Calm down! What's wrong, Shu?” Momota also gets out of his seat to aid the shorter boy. Kirumi gets a glass of water, offering it to Saihara and the boy clumsily accepts, Akamatsu thanking her in his stead.

With a shaky breath, Saihara addresses Akamatsu. “I... I had a d-dream. You were there... and... this spiked piano c-cover... crushed you! And then... I had—I had to be the... had to s-step up for everyone. I'm not... not ready, Kaecchan! I can't be... I can't be that p-person.”

From the dining table, Shirogane says, “Oh, oh! That's like something from a game I know! It was a shocking bait and switch with the protagonists!” No one really has a concrete idea of what she's talking about.

Akamatsu pinches the bridge of her nose. “I swear, why does everyone seem to go on about my supposed figurative death like an inside joke.” She clasps both hands on Saihara's shoulders. “Shu, look, I'm fine. Look at me, I'm fine. It was just a dream.” The duo then lead the agitated detective to the dining table where they further talk him into calming down.

Kirumi doesn't really stick around to further personally involve herself, returning to a corner of the kitchen to await orders if any. Glancing at the clock again, a new wave of anxiety washes over her. 7:35am. She decides it's as good a time as any to check up on the last three remaining no-shows individually in their rooms.

Excusing herself, she quickly makes her way upstairs and knocks on Iruma's room. No answer. She tries a few more times before moving on further upstairs to the boys' area. She meets Ouma at the hallway, who just exited his room. He's already in his school uniform.

“Oh hey mom, whatcha doin here?”

“I was about to fetch you and Gokuhara-san for breakfast.”

“Ah, you should really check the group chat more often. I said I won't have breakfast, and Gonta-chan is sick so he'll be skipping class today,” Ouma says, his obnoxious cheery tone grating on her nerves.

“Is that so? Thank you for the information.”

Tilting his head, Ouma eyes her carefully. “You should get ready now, Tojo-chan. It looks like you're way off your schedule.”

“Your concern is appreciated. I'll see you in class,” she replies, the irritation in her voice barely hidden.

That morning, Kirumi arrives in the classroom at 8:41am-- missing the 15 minute homeroom period and about ten minutes late to the first class. Her only consolation, if it can be called that, was that Shirogane and Iruma were even more tardy. It's shaping up to be the worst day of her life, and it just had to be on her birthday too.

 

–

An abrupt, piercing sensation within her gut jolts Kirumi from her _concentration_. Pursing her lips, she looks down at her notebook and realizes she hasn't written anything for awhile. Izayoi was currently talking about renewable sources of energy but she only distinctly remembers him discussing the surfaces of the earth. _I seriously zoned out?_ Another burning feeling inside her stomach.

It dawns on her that she forgot to eat breakfast in the rush to get to class. Hunger does not usually affect her awareness but the last time she had food was dinner last night. Almost 15 hours ago. She isn't one to be 'excited' for class to end but she can't help but glance at the wall clock, watching intently as the seconds hand makes a full revolution. It was only halfway through second period.

She shifts slightly in her seat. The way she's keeping her proper posture is starting to strain her. She feels something slap her left elbow. Turning her head to the side, she sees Hoshi holding a ruler; it's what he uses to 'amplify his reach.' She gives him a puzzled look. He never disrupts class, and none of her classmates do when it's Izayoi's class.

“You okay?” He asks, keeping his voice low. _I must be slipping up consistently for him to be so concerned like this._

“I'm fine. Don't mind me,” she whispers back.

“Are you sure? You look like you could fall over at any moment.”

“It's just hunger pangs. Not a big deal.”

“Tojo,” Izayoi says, startling her. She stands in attention nonetheless. “Can you tell me what a continental shelf is?”

Anxiety grips her. Izayoi doesn't normally call on students for recitation out of the blue unless he thinks that student isn't paying attention. While she isn't quite a model student for various reasons linked to her introverted nature, she's been a silent achiever for most of her life-- so slipping up now would be a stain on her personal record. It's a saving grace that she reads up on a lot of topics almost as much as Shinguji.

Steeling her nerves, she keeps her voice monotonous as she answers, “A continental shelf is an area around a landmass surrounded by a zone of shallow water.” From the look of Izayoi's narrowed eyes, she just confirmed she _wasn't_ paying attention. Students typically repeat the teacher's core description during recitation, be it verbatim or paraphrased slightly, as she normally does too, when she's not this exhausted and hungry. Nonetheless, Izayoi lets her take a seat without any reprimand, since she did technically give a correct answer. Her intelligence only saved her from any further humiliation by a fraction, but in her state right now, it's a comforting thought. Hoshi, understandably, doesn't bother her after that ordeal.

Sighing heavily, she almost relaxes into her seat but catches herself. _Kami, I hate this day_.

A few more minutes zoom by and second period finally ends. In that time span, barely anything registers to Kirumi. All she's been thinking about was a sandwich-- a layer of fresh lettuce, slices of juicy tomatoes, thick slabs of ham, a piece of cheddar cheese, topped with a generous helping of homemade mayonnaise, squeezed between two slices of toasted rye bread. A sandwich that she wanted to get right away now that it's break time... if not for Chabashira's request for assistance that she _shouldn't_ decline. She needed help getting some supplies from the storage lockers for Kami knows what, something that she could have asked Yumeno to help on but she's too lazy to even lift her head up from the table while Yonaga sprinted off to the cafeteria before she could ask help, and given her aversion of asking the boys for aid, Kirumi doesn't take it against the girl for requesting her assistance given her function in class.

She dutifully complies with Chabashira's request, even if she zones off here and there while on their way to and from the storage lockers. Back in the classroom, the aikido master further asks her to help distribute the art materials. It's when Kirumi realizes that their next class was Art and Music and that Chabashira was on day duty today, and whoever her male partner was was either inconsiderate and irresponsible or too scared to be near Chabashira. Either way, she's still in the classroom, begrudgingly prepping her classmates' tables with art materials. She's not hangry, in fact, she's too exhausted to unintentionally snap back at anyone, but she was adverse at slipping out of her maid schtick. It seems like it was only a matter of time; the uneasy feeling was disconcerting to her.

After carefully arranging the materials on Harukawa's desk, the last one at the back row, she's finally done with her task. Looking at the wallclock, almost 10:25am, she releases a heavy sigh. Realistically, there's no way she could make her way to the cafeteria, get something, then go back in time for class in just five minutes. And she will not run, no matter how much she's confident of her sprinting skills, because it's too undignified, too high of a cost for a measly whim. Taking a seat at her desk, she feels resigned to the fact she has to sit through two more periods before having a much-needed, well-deserved lunch. _The gods must be punishing me, maybe I should turn to Atua for guidance or whatever..._

“Tojo-san.” She hears Akamatsu call out from the door. Turning back, Akamatsu was waving at her to come outside, like she's a student from another classroom. Kirumi knows Akamatsu was never one to be cagey about her feelings, so why was she trying to hide an interaction with her from the class? _Unless..._

Outside the classroom, she immediately gets the answer. Akamatsu hands her a sandwich. “You're kind of out of it, you know? Hoshi-kun says it's 'cause you forgot to eat breakfast.” _Oh my God, Hoshi, how could you._ “It's an egg salad sandwich. I know you usually have the ham or tuna one but it ran out when it was my turn in the queue. Uh, it must be weird that I know your sandwich preferences but um, it's just that I...”

Akamatsu drones on about how she has come to know such specific information about her isn't because of her obvious crush, but because she pays attention to everyone. And Kirumi is aware of that fact too, for in her case, the pianist is one of the few people she truly pays close attention to. She admires how Akamatsu looks out for them, a noble extension of her class rep duties (but on the other hand, it's creepy if it's Shinguji) _._ The girl still isn't done being defensive and all she could think of right now is biting the sandwich off the other's hand.

With no other choice, Kirumi interrupts her. “Akamatsu-san, thank you.” Finally accepting the sandwich, she smiles at the girl, a little showcase of emotion just reserved for the pianist. And it was the quickest way for sending her away, as seen from Akamatsu quickly retreating into the classroom as a blushing mess.

Kirumi devours (what a barbaric term) the sandwich as fast as she could, very careful of not being seen by anyone in the hallway. Thankfully, there weren't many other students walking about since classes were starting in a moment. _And Yukizome-sensei has a habit of being late for class..._

A hand clasps on her shoulder. “You must be really hungry, huh, Tojo-chan?” Her last bite of the sandwich lodges in her throat, making her cough violently. _And Yukizome-sensei also has a habit of appearing so suddenly seemingly out of nowhere..._

“Woah, take it easy! I didn't mean to surprise you!” Yukizome says, hand rubbing circles on her back.

Kirumi regulates her breathing, and carefully swallows the food. “I'm fine, Yukizome-sensei. I apologize for worrying you,” she says, gesturing with her hand.

Akamatsu peeks out the door. “Hey, is everythi—Oh, Yukizome-sensei!”

Yukizome smiles at her. “Don't worry about it, Akamatsu-chan. Just startled Tojo-chan, is all. I'll be with you guys in a moment.” Akamatsu nods and goes back inside. It seems that she's now trying to keep the class in order.

Kirumi wasn't at 100% but filling her stomach with a bit of food helped. Turning to her teacher, she bows. “I must not keep you, sensei. I am truly sorry for the trouble.”

“Tojo-chan, wait.” Yukizome gently grabs her arm. “Don't overwork yourself, alright?” Kirumi blinks twice, too startled to reply. _Is it so obvious from my face?_   She hopes not, because she would rather not deal with a handful of concerned comments thrown her way during the rest of the day. It makes sense though, if Yukizome managed to find minute signs of overexertion since she used to be the Ultimate Housekeeper. The maid wordlessly nods, and her teacher finally lets go.

“I'll mark you late if you don't get inside by the time I enter that door,” Yukizome says, back into her cheery, silly self. _And there's the 180..._

 

–

The rest of the day goes on without a hitch, much to Kirumi's relief. She's still asked to do certain tasks or provide assistance to someone, but it was mostly after lunch and she had a filling meal. She still feels sleepy, but she can manage. Lack of sleep was never an issue for her.

The final bell rings and Akamatsu promptly leads their _kiritsu_ ritual. After their teacher leaves, Kirumi gets up to grab the broom and dustpan from the back of the room. Most of her peers were fixing up their things, Harukawa was halfway through the door, when Yonaga calls for their attention.

“Yohoo, so like, Angie has an idea!”

“What is it, Angie-san?” Akamatsu asks.

Yonaga clasps her palms together over her head. “We should throw Shuichi a party!”

“That sounds well and good but... why? It's not his birthday.”

“For moving up the ladder! Getting promoted to assistant class rep!”

Shinguji coughs. “That is not a real classroom board position.”

“Not an actual sex position, too!” Iruma hollers from the back.

Akamatsu turns to Saihara, who was ducking his head at the unneeded attention. “That sounds like fun though. What do you think, Shu?”

“You know my answer, Kaede.”

Momota approaches them. “We should go for it! Come on, Sai! You won't even have to do jack shit 'cause we'll be the ones planning!”

Harukawa sighs and rolls her eyes, but joins the little group nonetheless. “Except that it's not looking to be a surprise.”

Ouma offers his own two cents and soon after, most of the class seems to be on board with it. Saihara expectedly caves in. The class has a lively discussion of the needed preparations for such event. Kirumi has no opinion to offer, since there isn't much weight in her words in this kind of matter, so she starts cleaning the classroom in silence.

“Angie was thinking, Friday night at seven, two weeks from now! Saturday is Atua's rest day! And Angie doesn't want anyone to be tired on Monday if we hold this on a Sunday.”

“Wouldn't that mean Kaede wouldn't be able to join... she goes home by nine.” Saihara says.

Akamatsu flicks his ear. “I don't mind! There'll be plenty more parties. Just leave me some cake or something.” She gestures toward Yonaga. “Hmm, I'm leaving this party prep up to Angie-san!”

“Thank you, Kaede! Angie will make sure the party lasts until midnight! So you can get to experience part of it too!”

Ouma snorts. “And how do you plan to make a party last that long?”

“With a show! Himiko wants to perform some magic! And there will be booze!” Most of the class erupt in cheers. Akamatsu looks like she will protest the latter part but doesn't say anything, surprisingly.

“Wh-what? You will, Yumeno-chan? Why didn't you tell me first?” Chabashira asks. There's a hint of hurt in her voice.

Yumeno yawns before answering, “Nyeh, I needed an unbiased second opinion...”

“It will be a high stakes, water escape magic!” Yonaga accentuates the excitement with a jump.

“That sounds dangerous.” Akamatsu says, affirmed by Chabashira.

“Nah! Like, it's going to be totally safe! Magicians always have a trick up their sleeve!”

“It's not a trick, it's magic... and yeah, it'll be safe. I promise I won't use real piranhas.”

Shinguji steps forward, a hand stroking his chin. “Such scale of magic would require ample preparations, would it not? Such as a water tank?”

“Oh yeah, there's one in my lab. I'll just need it moved to the dorms...”

“The Living Room seems like an optimal place to hold the party,” Iidabashi murmurs, and Akamatsu agrees with him.

“Ah, there's gonna to be a lot of rearranging then.”

“We also need to decorate!”

“And then there's the food...”

“That's an awfully lotta tasks.”

“Tojo-chan will help, duh!”

“Not with everything!”

They're now talking about her role in all of this, but she pretends not to hear. All of a sudden, they go silent, and instinctively Kirumi looks up from her cleaning only to be met with some eyes gazing pleadingly at her. Expectant that she will offer her assistance. She doesn't really have the luxury of choice anyhow. _This day just keeps getting better..._

Kirumi straightens herself, then bows her head slightly. “I would be happy to assist in this endeavor.” Her tightening grip on the broom handle indicated her true say in the matter.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, no chatfic format for this update but I hope you enjoyed the long read~ lol  
> this POV should give you a good sense of Kirumi's character because her POV won't be explored again til later chapters
> 
> \--  
> Kirumi visiting her mom at her workplace would be further explored in [Behind Getting Along](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16449194/chapters/38517854) because it's a bit kaerumi shippy and mostly gratuitous fluff (and wont really move the plot). It will be awhile til that one-shot will be written tho  
> Also, have I mentioned that this arc is also known as the Biggest, Baddest, Most Gut-Wrenching Development between Akamatsu and Tojo's Pining because I am kaerumi trash byeeeee lmao  
> (dw Tenhimi, Momoharu and Saiouma have individual arcs dedicated to their romantic development too)


	18. II: Finding An Anchor Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dreams, oh those dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Saihara will start having most of the POV segments now that he's the "main character" hehe
> 
> But Akamatsu still pops up often because didn't that happen in the game too? Her presence was still felt even after her death. She was such a prominent figure that affected everyone lol also because she does remain as the main protagonist in this story (and i love her)

_05/13/18_

 

“Again, Shu? Those dreams of yours are really... persistent,” Akamatsu says, placing a glass of water in front of Saihara. She takes a seat beside him, while Momota was in front of him, drumming his fingers lightly on the dining table. It was early in the morning, and the duo had been having breakfast when Saihara stumbled into the kitchen, again, frazzled with another nightmare.

Saihara rubs his temples with both hands. “More of a nightmare actually.”

“Whaddaya think they mean?” Momota crosses his arms on the table and leans over them.

“I don't know but I've been having these dreams since Monday. I just... never told anyone until Thursday because it wasn't so extreme then,” Saihara says slumping into his chair.

“I'll say. I had three death scenarios in your dreams,” Akamatsu pauses, raises an eyebrow at Saihara before continuing, “Do you secretly want me dead, Shu?”

“No, no, of course not! I don't even understand why the dreams made it necessary for you to... die.”

Momota grins. “If it's any consolation, I died in one of his dreams. Died from an illness before the spaceship crashed back to earth. Daaaamn.”

“That's not helping, Momota-kun. At all.”

Saihara groans, covering his face with both hands. Akamatsu pats his head.

“Anyway, didya ever think if your dreams meant anything? Like the position of the stars, it might mean something!”

“Uh, well, it seems to be connected with...” Saihara eyes Akamatsu with a cheeky smile, “being assigned to be in charge.”

Akamatsu removes her hand from his head, and crosses her arms instead, shifting in her seat. She huffs and closes her eyes. Her mood shifting so quickly to annoyance surprises Saihara. She doesn't say anything, however.

Tojo approaches them and places a plate of food in front of Saihara. It's a simple bacon and eggs with rice for breakfast today. He thanks the maid, who promptly goes back to her place at a kitchen corner afterwards.

“Hmm, that does make sense, after all, dreams started right after Akamatsu's announcement, yeah?” Momota strokes his chin to accompany his pensive thoughts. “Maybe they're tellin' ya something?”

“Um, I guess? Probably means... I'm not ready.” Saihara takes in a spoonful of food. It's bland. _That's odd_. Bacon, of all savory meats, could not taste plain when cooked. It also looks and smells appetizing, just like he expects Tojo's cooking would be and yet it tasted like his tastebuds weren't working. He picks on the plate, inspecting it carefully.

Akamatsu lets out a breathy sigh, stealing Saihara's attention. “Jeez Shu, it's that bad, huh?” There's venom lacing her voice.

Saihara blinks twice. “H-huh? What is?”

“You really don't want to this, huh? This big responsibility I've entrusted to you.” Akamatsu was glowering at him, and it sent chills all over his body. Usually, she looks awkward when angry because her frown, her bottom lip jutting out (paired with her doe eyes), looks like a _cute_ pout. But her look right now: eyes hard, brows scrunched up and lips set on a tight line, while hardly intense, seemed to squeeze out all the fear in him. There's pressure building in his eyes.

Saihara bites his bottom lip. “Wha—of course I do, I'm glad you believe I could do it. It's just...” He shifts his gaze towards Momota, who just shrugs at him nonchalantly. _What?_ The dread intensifies. He wants to escape but something was keeping him in place.

“Believing in people is so easy, Shuichi. But trusting them is another level.” Akamatsu leans toward him, making him lean backward on instinct. “You know how much I trust you right?”

Saihara gulps, nodding. His throat has gone dry. The building pressure inside his chest was becoming overwhelming, and he fights to keep himself from crying.

“I've been patient with you,” Akamatsu's expression darkens as she spoke.

The room felt like it was shrinking. Momota laughs, his tone was not of mirth, while Tojo was looking at him with her perpetually neutral expression, but her eyes were ever so slightly narrowed—like she was disgusted. Tears start to flow down Saihara's cheeks. It took a lot in him just to keep himself from bawling out.

Akamatsu grabs his chin, making him whimper. She levels their eyes together, her gaze piercing and lips curling into a sneer. “So when will you stop letting me down?”

 

~

Saihara immediately sits up, chest heaving and skin crawling.

He sits still for a while before releasing a long sigh, wiping the cold sweat at the back of his neck with his palm. _Kami, that was intense. But at least Kaecchan didn't die this time_. He promptly scolds himself for ever finding such a tasteless positive side to these nightmares he's been having. Stretching his arm a bit, he yawns.

His gaze travels toward his window, his blinds shielding the bulk of the sun's rays. Judging by the intensity of the light seeping between the horizontal slats, he surmises it must be mid-morning. He didn't check the time then, but he was sure it was dawn by the time he fell asleep earlier. It was no surprise his eyes still felt heavy right now. _Insomnia, then nightmares? Ugh._

Shaking off the drowsiness, Saihara gets out of bed and makes his way to the bathroom. He washes his face, then pads out the creases on his night wear and combs his hair with his hand, all the while avoiding looking at the mirror. Thinking he looks presentable enough, he leaves his room, but not before grabbing his hat on his dresser and wearing it on the way out.

He meets Iidabashi on the hallway, who was going downstairs as well.

“Good morning, Saihara-kun!” Iidabashi waves at him. Saihara hums in greeting, still too sluggish for proper conversation. Iidabashi misses the social cue, though. He continues, “Did you just wake up?”

Saihara yawns before nodding.

“Ah, so you must be heading down for breakfast as well.”

Another nod. _Iidabashi-kun is kind of adorable when he tries to socialize..._

“What keeps you up at night? You do not seem to be getting a good rest, Saihara-kun.”

Saihara waves him off. The descent to the kitchen was in silence. They were midway down the stairs when he hears Chabashira's boisterous voice followed his bestfriend's melodic laugh—instantly making him tense. Fortunately for him, Iidabashi never seems to notice body language cues too, so he doesn't have to overthink whatever explanation to give if ever he asks. His biggest problem now was how to face Akamatsu without having the urge to cry in front of her. There isn't much time to come up with a solution though, because even if he slows his pace, after rounding the corner at the bottom of the stairs is immediately the short hallway towards the kitchen. An ugly pressure was building in the pit of his stomach, pushing upwards. _Wait, maybe if I turn back a bit..._

“Good morning, Iidabashi-san and Saihara-san.” Tojo's perfunctory greeting snaps Saihara back to reality. The maid was holding out a plate to him, and he clumsily accepts, almost letting go.

“You okay, Shu?” Nightmare Akamatsu's livid expression flashes through his vision, replacing the real one's sympathetic one.

The shrill sound of glass breaking reverberates through the kitchen, drowned out by Chabashira and Iidabashi squeaking in surprise, then Akamatsu's frantic screams of concern. Tojo even looked momentarily shocked before lowering herself on the ground to collect the shards of glass with her gloved hands. It finally registers to him that he _dropped the plate_.

Saihara wills himself to move and gets down on the ground. “O-Oh, I'm very s-sorry, Tojo-san. Let me h-help.” Before Tojo could protest, he accidentally grabs the jagged edge of a piece of glass, cutting him.

Tojo's eyes widen. “Saihara-san! Let me handle this. You are not equipped for such a task, and this is my duty as a maid.” She looks and sounds uncharacteristically emotional at this moment.

“Oh my god, let me get the first aid kit!” Akamatsu says, moving past them.

“Tenko will get the broom!” Chabashira also scurries away to the storage room connected to the kitchen.

The cut wasn't too deep nor particularly painful, but Saihara still feels light-headed. His knees felt weak; he could collapse at any moment. His breathing hasn't slowed either and the room feels cold.

Tojo gathers the bigger shards in one place. “Iidabashi-san, would you care for helping Saihara-san?”

“Ah! Yes, of course!” Iidabashi nervously replies, looking like he just snapped out of his own reverie.

“Be mindful where you step on your way here.”

Saihara tries to stand up on his own, but his legs feel like jelly the moment he straightens up, almost buckling under his upper body weight (which isn't much actually). Luckily, Iidabashi was near enough and managed to keep him from falling. The boy leads him to the dining table, just as Akamatsu re-enters the kitchen with the med kit.

 

–

Saihara eyes the gauze wrapped around his finger. Again, the wound was not deep, but Akamatsu really insisted patching it up with a gauze instead of a simple bandaid. He appreciates that about her, her concern for anyone she cares about is always above and beyond.

“When will you return the favor then?” Nightmare Akamatsu's voice rings in his head. He shudders, shaking his head. The movement causes Akamatsu's bed to creak.

“You're so jumpy today, Shu.” Akamatsu turns to him, one hand on her hip. Her other hand was holding a DVD disk, just taken out of its case. “Some piano music should calm your nerves!” She beams at him, and he smiles back, albeit weakly.

She places the disk inside her DVD player, and cycles through the music selection before pressing play. A lilting melody fills the silent gaps of the room.

“Kaecchan, this sounds melancholy.”

“It's soothing though. It's Erik Satie's Gymnopedie No. 1,” Akamatsu says, joining him on her bed. “Okay, back to business.” She puts on a serious face, which was nothing short of harmless, but his mind keeps flashing back to the nightmare. It must have shown, because his bestfriend's hand was on his bicep, squeezing gently.

“Sorry,” he mumbles under his breath. He can't meet her gaze.

“Don't be. It's okay. I have to say, this is the most restless I've seen you.”

“Yeah, it's...”

“It's those nightmares you've been having recently, huh?”

Saihara looks up at her but quickly averts his gaze.

Akamatsu hugs a pillow, the bottom half of her face buried into it that her words come out muffled. “Figured, so did I die again?”

“No...”

“Thank Kami. I was starting to think you secretly want me dead.” Akamatsu giggles.

Saihara takes a deep breath, there's pressure building again.

“That was a bad joke, I'm sorry!” Akamatasu grabs his arm again and squeezes. She doesn't let go. “Look, these dreams of yours have one thing in common, right? I gave you a responsibility, a big one and so far from your comfort zone. I—I should have been receptive on how you would've felt.” _Her empathy..._ _Always above and beyond for everyone._

 _"Shuichi, I should have said this a long time ago. You can do this. I believe in you. So believe in yourself too, okay?"_ He recalls Akamatsu's announcement in the living room. Her encouraging smile. Her comforting touch. Her impassioned words.  _"...I've realized I never really gave you a chance to show your capabilities despite being encouraging because... deep down, I didn't think you could handle it.”_  Her slight hesitation. He knows she's still not fully on board with it, but he can feel the sincerity in her that she's trying--that her words aren't just lip service for once. Akamatsu, for all her joviality, was not a trusting person. So for her to actually take this leap and him just squandering it just moments later, it was clear that he has already let down his bestfriend.

For the first time since the dream, Saihara makes eye contact with Akamatsu. She really looked apologetic. Normally, it should come as a relief for him because she was about to relieve him of a big responsibility, and yet, it doesn't sit right with him. _Those dreams... the meaning..._

“You don't have to do it, Shu. I can reassign it to--”

Saihara places his free hand on top of Akamatsu's hand still gripping his arm, and squeezes too. “No. I can do it, Kaede. You believe I could do it, and I will.” He subsequently gets up and walks toward the door, leaving the pianist in shock. Before exiting her room, he turns to her one last time.

“I can do it, trust me.”

 

–

2:07PM

 

Chabashira paces back and forth at a barren corner of Yumeno's room, glancing every now and then at the magician as she practices some card tricks on her bed in front of Yonaga.

“Hnm, this your card?” Yumeno asks, holding out a Seven of Spades. Yonaga nods eagerly, cheering and clapping. The magician shifts her attention toward Chabashira. “Hey Tenko, is this your card?” A Nine of Diamonds.

“Oh, uh, yeah. Good work, Yumeno-chan.” Chabashira barely looked towards the small girl's direction, her pacing continues.

Angie flips around and rolls on her back. “Ah! Angie might get dizzy just looking at you walk around, Tenko!”

Chabashira stops. “Tenko is sorry,” she says, flustered. Her legs were itching to keep pacing, however.

“Why're you restless?” Yumeno asks, arranging the playing cards.

“She just has so much energy! Right, Tenko?”

“I guess... but mostly, it's...” Chabashira pauses, then huffs, “Tenko is worried about the water-escape magic!”

“Nyeh, again with that...” Yumeno almost sounded annoyed.

Yonaga sits up, only to fluff a pillow and lie on it on her belly. “Like, what's got you so worried?”

“There are a million different things that can go wrong with that trick!”

Yumeno sighs. “Not really...? The water tank is up to safety standards, just need it modified a bit... but Tojo'll help with it so it's gonna be perfectly safe. And I said I won't use real piranhas...”

“But! But! Yumeno-chan hasn't even performed the trick before!” Chabashira waves her arms frantically. “And hasn't practiced one bit!”

Yonaga tilts her head and pouts. “Like, you need to chill Tenko! Himiko has two weeks to practice!”

“Yeah, I can probably pull it off.”

Chabashira pulls out Yumeno's revolving chair and sits on it, defeated. She really doesn't want Yumeno performing something she isn't even a hundred percent sure she could pull off. But Yonaga is so supportive of the feat and Yumeno is insistent herself on performing it. She wants to be supportive too, but all these anxieties are keeping her from being one. She likes the small girl, the last thing she ever wants happening is watching her drown. _Oh wait, Tenko can still turn this around..._

“Yumeno-chan, won't the embarrassment of failing to perform the magic outweigh the delight in successfully doing it? If you have even a little doubt of successfully performing it, wouldn't that be a bigger risk on your part as the Ultimate Mage?”

“Mm... taking risk is a bother...”

Yonaga clasps her hand together. “Oh! That's very good motivation right there, Tenko!” Facing Yumeno, she continues, “You should like, practice as soon as you can, Himiko! If you manage to pull off this high level trick, it would show how much your magic power has grown. Wouldn't that be wonderful?”

“Yeah, I guess...” Yumeno's words might be hesitant but Chabashira can tell there's a sense certainty in her resolve. _Tenko will just have to have faith then._

Chabashira smiles, a bit uneasily. “That's right. Tenko was just trying to motivate you...” Yonaga beams, an ear to ear grin and a focused gaze, there was something almost unnatural about it. It was unnerving her more than usual.

 

–

8:43PM **The 10** **th** **Circle of Hell**

 

 **hi welcome to chilis** : before this day ends

 **hi welcome to chilis** : i would just like to say

 **Domo Arigato Mr Roboto** : Go away, please.

 **hi welcome to chilis** : wow rude

 **Assassins Creed _Schoolgirl_** : die

 **COMET me bro** : harumaki.

 **Homo sapien penile erectus** : He used a punctuation. He means business.

 **oregano** : lmao

 **hi welcome to chilis** : oh fuk yall

 **hi welcome to chilis** : HAPPY MOTHERS DAY MOM

 **hi welcome to chilis** : **@Alexa**

 **Alexa** : 👍

 **Homo sapien penile erectus** : It seems that is the best you're getting.

 **hi welcome to chilis** : meh

 **hi welcome to chilis** : i know mom loves me

 **oregano** : Bold Of You To Assume

 **Domo Arigato Mr Roboto** : But does your real mother love you?

 **hi welcome to chilis** : i wouldnt know keeboy

 **hi welcome to chilis** : im an orphan

 **Domo Arigato Mr Roboto** : Oh

_**COMET me bro** , **oregano** and **10 others** went offline_

**Homo sapien penile erectus** : Well, this got awkward real quick.

 **hi welcome to chilis** : nishishishi

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a shorter chapter than usual (I think) and written in a rush but uhhh i'll make up for it the next time~
> 
> Probably won't update for the rest of December by the way, I'll be busy helping out at our family shop since it's peak season. Advance Happy Holidays!!
> 
> ** also you might notice I use both third person and first person when Tenko refers to herself and it's a deliberate quirk lol


	19. II: Be Prepared

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So prepare for a chance of a lifetime  
> Be prepared for sensational news  
> A shining new era  
> Is tiptoeing nearer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyya fellas! im bACH. and happy new year!  
> I was supposed to update during jan 6 but uhhh that was my birthday so i just opted to laze around instead of finalizing the draft for this lol
> 
> lots of things happening in this chapter, yeet  
> enjoy~~

_5/15/2018_

 

8:09PM **10** **th** **Circle of Hell**

 

 **COMET me bro** : hey uh can someone let me borrow their notes on math

 **Gorls are Gru8** : no

 **oregano** : my notes arent really the best :(

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : yeah I can attest to that

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : his handwriting look s like he's on drugs

 **hard boiled quail egg** : i worry @ u amami

 **hi welcome to chilis** : awww just be direct abt it momota-chan

 **hi welcome to chilis** : ik u just wanna copy homework

 **COMET me bro** : heck off

 **titty_inator** : ew whys that censored astrocunt

 **Big Toblerone** : Gonta thinks Momota-kun meant to say “Fuck”!

 **I Put A Spell On You** : :U

 **COMET me bro** : uhhh

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : g a s p

 **hard boiled quail egg** : who taught him that i just want to talk

 **hi welcome to chilis** : BIG OOF

 **hi welcome to chilis** : not me btw

 **hi welcome to chilis** : i dont drop f bombs willy nilly like yall uncultured swines

 **hard boiled quail egg** : whoever it is, fess up

 **hard boiled quail egg** : im willing to go to prison to protect gokuhara

 **titty_inator** : SHIT i didnt Fucking doi t

 **Big Toblerone** : Oh no! Did Gonta say something wrong?

 **Homo sapien penile erectus** : Your statement was not necessarily incorrect, however...

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : F*ck is a bad word, Gonta-kun!

 **Big Toblerone** : Gonta knows!

 **Big Toblerone** : But Gonta just thought it was odd for Momota-kun to not use bad word like he always does.

 **Homo sapien penile erectus** : That is a good observation.

 **titty_inator** : and it aint even from the detective lmAO

 **hi welcome to chilis** : take that back cum dumpster

 **titty_inator** : EEK

 **titty_inator** : leavr mea lone!!

 **Homo sapien penile erectus** : We await your response **@COMET me bro** .

 **hi welcome to chilis** : THEN TAKE IT BACK >:(

 **titty_inator** : im s-sorry!!!!!!1

 **Gorls are Gru8** : HOW DARE YOU RAISE YOUR VOICE AT A GIRL

 **Homo sapien penile erectus** : I am appalled that you would type out a stutter.

 **I Put A Spell On You** : …...dont actually scream wat u type,,,tenko

 **hi welcome to chilis** : noONE badmouths my beloved!!

 **Homo sapien penile erectus** : Are you still there **@COMET me bro** ?

 

_**Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** went online_

 

 **hi welcome to chilis** : OmO

 **hi welcome to chilis** : saihara-chan responded to my beckon!!

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : Not really

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : Oh and, Momo-kun is in my room right now

 **hi welcome to chilis** : WAT

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : a love triangle!! how Spicy

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : he's just copying my homework

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : And he's lessening his cussing coz Harukawa-san told him to

 **Homo sapien penile erectus** : Ah. I see.

 **hi welcome to chilis** : see that asstronaut has that assassin does he NOT??

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : omg they match with that ass!

 **oregano** : DAT ASS

 **titty_inator** : DEEZ NUTS

 

_**Assassins Creed _Schoolgirl_** went online_

 

 ** **Rooted for NaruSaku** : **wait

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : o

 **titty_inator** : HAHAHHA GET REKT

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : I DONT WANNA DIE IM SORRU

 **oregano** : **sumimasorry

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : how unfunny Taro

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : stop pandering toward the western audience

 **oregano** : mugi u scare me sometimes

 **oregano** : wat r u evn referencing

 **Assassins Creed _Schoolgirl_** : knife emoji

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

 **hi welcome to chilis** : just send the actual emoji lol

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

 **Assassins Creed _Schoolgirl_** : my emoji keyboard is still broken

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : How is that even possible

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : It should be fixed with just a simple update

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : dont question the laws of this reality

 **oregano** : uh

 **COMET me bro** : SEE

 **COMET me bro** : DO YA GUYS UNDERSTAND NOW

 **hi welcome to chilis** : SHUMAI IM COMIN OVER

 **Gorls are Gru8** : YOU MENACES!! STOP SCREAMING

 **hi welcome to chilis** : WHY NOT

 **COMET me bro** : OH IM NOT LETTING THE TOPIC SLIDE

 **COMET me bro** : THERES SMTH GOIN ON ABOUT SHIROGANYA

 **I Put A Spell On You** : ,,,OMG GUYS COME OUTSIDE

 **I Put A Spell On You** : ANGIE IS RIDING A FLAMING CHARIOT

 **I Put A Spell On You** : WITH FOUR HORSES

 **Rooted for NaruSaku** : OMG

 **hi welcome to chilis** : WOWOWOWOW

 **Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave** : FLMAING??

 **Big Toblerone** : GONTA LOVES HORSES

 **Gorls are Gru8** : ALRIGHT EVERYONE LETS GO OUT AND SEE THIS

 **COMET me bro** : GOSH DARN IT

 

–

Hoshi sets aside his phone, the movement makes Sunny stir from her nap. He strokes her back and the cat purrs earnestly on his lap. It makes him smile to have such a faithful and loving companion; a constant in his life ever since the massacre of his family. _Fuck. Fuck.fuck.fuck.TherewillbejusticeI'llfindthemandI'll--_ He grits his teeth, but soon after snaps himself out of it and diverts his thoughts to more mundane matters. It leads him to thinking about his classmates, who are currently flocking outside to see Yonaga's little spectacle.

Hoshi has always made it clear he was indifferent to his classmates' theatrics. It's not that he doesn't care nor because he doesn't know how to have fun, but rather, he preferred solitude above most things—it's why he spends most of his time holed up in his room or take walks alone. This time however, he decides to join his rambunctious peers. He shifts from his sitting position on his bed, making Sunny leap down from him. Sunny leisurely loafs on the carpeted floor, eyeing Hoshi curiously as he dusts the cat hair off his shorts. Grabbing the doorknob, he turns to the cat one last time and says, “Don't make a mess 'ere, okay?” She merely tilts her head, earning her an amused look from her master before he shuts the door.

Hoshi makes his way downstairs, and passing by the kitchen on the way to the main door, he spots Tojo standing at a corner with a mug in hand. She looked straight-faced like she always does, but her (visible) eye was drooping a fraction more than usual. Normally, it meant she was annoyed, but in this case where she was holding a mug... It would not surprise him if _that_ mug contained alcohol; he knows the maid is a heavy drinker no matter how much she claims otherwise. It wasn't too long ago that he discovered her booze stash while riffling through the pantry for some ingredients. He paid it little mind, after all, he was a chain smoker and therefore had no place to claim the moral high ground when it came to vices. And while he got this across towards his classmates from day one, Tojo preferred secrecy. So for her to be drinking so early and so brazenly was out of character, to say the least.

“Hey, no plans to join the brat pack?” He asks, leaning on the kitchen doorframe.

Tojo shakes her head slightly. “I'd rather clean something.”

Hoshi rolls his eyes. “Regardless of anything.”

She smirks before taking a sip from the mug.

Hoshi gives her a look; he would've raised an eyebrow if he had any. “What're you drinking?”

“Tea.”

Now he's sure it is alcohol. Tojo never drinks tea alone just for the hell of it. “Is that so...” He says, stroking his chin.

Tojo frowns, but by the way the corners of her mouth quirk, he knows it's in jest. “You wound me, Hoshi.”

“It's a little too early, don't you think?”

She downs the rest of the drink. “It's never too early when I have _them_ to deal with.”

As if on cue, a shriek pierces the relative quietness of the night, followed by incoherent screaming. Not long after, the main door slams open accompanied by frenzied shouting. “MOM!!! MOM, WE NEED YOUR HELP!”

Hoshi chuckles. “And there it is,” he looks up at her, “I should lea--” Tojo's eyebrows were furrowed, her gaze sharp and the frown she was sporting now was clearly not in jest. It stuns him to see her so genuinely irritated as far as requesting her assistance is concerned. The expression only lasted fleetingly though, Hoshi almost thinks he imagined it, because the moment Ouma materializes beside him at the doorway, Tojo looks passive.

“What can I do for you, Ouma-kun?” She asks, and Hoshi doesn't miss how stilted she sounds.

“Iruma-chan fell off one of the horses, and I think she has a concussion. A plant also caught fire! Oh, and Chabs is trying to murder Momota-chan right now,” Ouma says, worry evident in his voice yet he was grinning.

“I see. Hoshi-san, if you don't mind, I would like to request that you fetch Tsumiki-san.”

“No problem,” he replies, and promptly walks off to do just that.

 

It was about fifteen minutes to ten when the everyone settles down. Akamatsu had arrived from her part-time job just in time for a glimpse of the aftermath and naturally, everyone had an earful of her scolding. She's only placated when Iruma started acting like herself again, then everything eased into normality (all things considered) once again. They were all in the living room at the moment, having a discussion about the party for Saihara. Hoshi is only there to listen, since 'planning parties' wasn't really within his skillset nor does he have the mental fortitude for it. Tojo was also just _there_ , but unlike him whose presence is akin to furniture, she was treated as an important Chess piece—a reliable force that could do anything asked of her.

“Yumeno-chan, is it really necessary for Tojo-san to help you with the modifications? Does it have to be specifically her, 'cause I think Iruma-san or Iidabashi-kun would be more suited for that,” Akamatsu says.

Yumeno shrugs. “Well, Tenko--”

“Tenko thinks it's a bad idea to let Iruma-san help! At least with Tojo-san, Tenko is assured she will do a good job, perfect even!” Chabashira says, pumping forward a fist.

Iruma huffs, obviously taking offense. “Hey! Whazzat supposed to mean, Chaba-shit-ra?”

“What about Kiiboy?” Ouma asks innocently.

Chabashira glares at him. “You know how Tenko feels about boys.”

Ouma crosses his arms and shakes his head comically. “Hey, hey, Akamatsu-chan, why does Chabs get a free pass on her sexism while Momota-chan almost always gets shit for it?” Momota wisely keeps quiet.

“You menace! How dare you?!” Chabashira leaps toward Ouma's direction. Akamatsu immediately steps in between the two, grabbing the aikido master by the shoulders. Despite the clear difference in strength, Chabashira doesn't slip out of the pianist's hold.

“She doesn't—shouldn't,” Akamatsu says, sounding very uncertain. It's as if she only realized just now that she has been biased with her leniency.

Saihara steps forward. “Momota-kun's sexism is um, mostly unintentional. He was brought up by patriarchal grandparents, and has picked up those ideals subconsciously.”

"Not an excuse," Harukawa mutters under her breath.

“I'm tryin' to shrug it off,” Momota finally quips, earning him a nod from Saihara. Hoshi doesn't doubt his words, for he has seen him truly _trying_. And it's a “man's honor” as he so eloquently puts it.

“But for Chabashira-san's case...” Saihara doesn't look at the aikido master as he speaks, “it's intentional, very forced... like she has a strong vendetta against men.”

“Well, you're not wrong.” Chabashira visibly relaxes, but Akamatsu doesn't let go of her yet.

Saihara continues, “I think... Chabashira-san's prejudice is rooted to a negative, personal experience, which is why she feels more strongly about it.” That elicits an unconventional reaction from the aikido master; her face falls almost immediately as she shudders at the detective's words, the movement taking Akamatsu by surprise that she releases her grip on her.

Chabashira steps back, bows slightly then straightens up. “Tenko is sorry! We were supposed to be discussing the party, but instead I got us sidetracked here!” An awkward silence follows. Clearly, Chabashira was trying to desperately change the topic but even Akamatsu looks troubled, unsure of what to say.

“It's alright, Tenko!” Yonaga bounces off the sofa toward Chabashira's side, and pats her shoulder. She turns to Akamatsu and says, “We were talking about Himiko's water tank? Angie thinks it is better to have Mother help!”

Akamatsu crosses her arms. “Again, I argue that Iruma-san is qualified and competent enough for that task.”

“Y-You really think so, Bakamatsu?” Iruma asks, snivelling.

“I do, and I believe everyone should play a role in this party prep. We can't just dump it all on Tojo-san!”

“Angie agrees! Which is why Angie needs Miu to do something else for her.” Yonaga trots off toward Iruma and hooks an arm around her. Motioning towards the maid a distance away, she says, “Also, Kirumi volunteered to help Himiko and Angie was not about to deny her.”

Akamatsu shoots Tojo a questioning look and the maid speaks up. “That is correct. You need not worry much, Akamatsu-san, it is my duty as a maid.”

“C'mon, Mom _wants_ to do it, so let her!” Ouma says. The pianist only sighs in response, then steps back, letting Yonaga take the lead once again.

“It's settled then, yahoo!”

Hoshi can't help but feel pity towards Tojo. A majority of his classmates are too dependent on the maid, even for the simplest of tasks sometimes, while she doesn't complain about the load of responsibilities. He's in no position to 'fix' this, especially when there are capable people for that like Akamatsu, but he still wants to help his friend out even if it's just short-term.

 

–

Saihara was grateful, despite every horrible thing that's been happening in his class recently, they all seem to manage bouncing back. This wasn't entirely a good thing since they're all basically burying their problems in a shallow grave, but dealing with everything at once wasn't a promising solution. Case in point, his bestfriend who was doing everything she can for everyone to get along and now she's teetering toward a mental breakdown. He supposes that his approach would be 'one at a time,' starting with Akamatsu and Amami's straining friendship—none of their issues was as glaring as theirs.

“Like, are there any more suggestions?” Yonaga asks further.

Akamatsu was standing idly beside the artist, fiddling with the hem of her shirt. True to her word, she did let most of the party planning handled by Yonaga, and she's significantly less vocal tonight, notwithstanding her earlier scolding and defense of Tojo. She eyes a certain boy. “Amami-kun? I know you've got good party ideas.” This was her third attempt at prompting him. Saihara could see that she was trying to bridge a gap between them, although it doesn't seem to be enough.

Amami purses his lips upon hearing his name. He, too, hasn't said much tonight. In fact, he only became considerably quiet when Akamatsu returned from her job. He had pointedly ignored her during the first prompt, and then waved her off on the second. “Party hats? I don't know, what do you want me to say?” He grumbled, evidently frustrated with the pianist's persistence.

“I would never force you to say anything you don't want to.” Akamatsu spoke in such a placid manner that people who don't know her well would shrug it off as it is. But Saihara knows her, and he is acutely aware that she's being passive-aggressive. _She's at her wit's end too_. Amami must have caught it as well, because he glares at her, as subtly as he could. Everyone else seems to be oblivious of the tense atmosphere around those two.

Saihara has been racking his brain thinking about what could have caused their feud. _Both of them became easy friends from the get-go but now they barely spoke a word to each other. And there was no build up to this; it just happened overnight—which was easily the most perplexing thing about this. How did it end up like this so abruptly?_

He feels someone nudge him, snapping him back to reality. “You okay there, buddy? You spaced out,” Momota says from beside him.

Saihara tilts his head to face him. “Hm, oh, yeah, sorry. I was just thinking...”

“Ya' think too much. You don't hafta worry about anything in this party, remember?”

“Not the party...”

Momota snorts. “Jeez, don't tell me you're thinkin' about school right now.”

“No, of course not, no- it's just, uh, never mind it.”

“Pfft, fine. I'll drop it.” Momota's voice drops to a whisper when he says, “but tell me later when we're doin' training. I'm counting on that, sidekick.”

Saihara groans into his hands.

 

–

 

 _5/16/2018_  

10:37AM

 

Kizakura was late. Not that he had a teaching load, but nonetheless, he could think of a handful of people who would be very displeased of his tardiness. He was no more but a scout, tasked with recruiting impressionable teenagers to a prestigious school with a problematic system. He's not scheduled to tour around Japan following his gut to find the next Ultimate for another month, so he might as well use his free time annoying his colleagues. He enters through the West Gate, humming a short greeting to the Madarai brother stationed there.

He was no more than a few meters to the side entrance when he finally notices a black car parked near a courtyard, obscured by some foliage. As he makes his way toward it, he could make out the emblem of the Future Foundation plastered on the bumper of the car. _Oh, Great. They're up there with him again._ He was about to go inside when the car door snaps open.

“Kizakura-san, a moment please!”

The scout doesn't turn around to face whoever lackey it was. “Y'know, there's a designated parking space.”

“O-Oh, my apologies! Tsuruhashi-san said it was okay to park here.”

Kizakura was bewildered by the subdued demeanor and he turns to face the Future Foundation member. His eyes widen in realization. “Professor Iidabashi! I'm sorry for my rudeness--”

“It is quite alright.” Prof. Iidabashi bows profoundly, flustering Kizakura further.

“What brings you here?”

“Ah, well, this for Kirigiri-san,” the professor hands hands him a large envelop, “We are actually here for an unrelated matter but I forgot to hand this over to Tsuruhashi-san when he went up.”

“Probably havin' a serious discussion up there, not my kind of thing too.”

Prof. Iidabashi smiles sheepishly. “True, and well, you know me, I tend to take Kirigiri-san's side, so...”

“Yes, he'd probably want less people against him.” Kizakura laughs. “I don't see why he'd just take a different person with him, not that I don't want you here, Prof...”

“Ah, I forced him to take me, so I can see my son, you see.”

“Oh, of course. Duh.” Kizakura slaps his forehead with the envelop.

The professor grimaces. “Careful with the envelop! Those are really important documents.”

“Crap, sorry. I dunno why I'm still employed here to be honest.” Kizakura fixes the creases on the envelop and gingerly clips it in his armpit.

“Could use more of you in my workplace. The people there are incredibly dull.”

Kizakura was about to reply when the side door slams open, a surly-faced Tsuruhashi walking out. “Woah, why the long face Tsuru-kun? Ran into Sakakura on your way out?”

“Shut up, Kizakura. Iidabashi, let's go,” Tsuruhashi says as he opens the door to the driver seat of the black car.

“It was nice talking to you, Kizakura-san. Until next time.” Prof. Iidabashi bows, then scurries to the car not a moment later. Kizakura happily waves as the car drives off, but as he enters the Hope's Peak Main Building, the smile on his face is replaced with a stern line.

 

He slinks inside the Headmaster's Office without so much as a knock. Unsurprisingly, Kirigiri is miffed by this.

“What do you want?”

Kizakura chuckles. “Oh, right back at me, huh? No 'good morning, hun' or anything?”

Kirigiri rubs his temples, sighing exasperatedly. Kizakura takes a seat in front of him, and drops a yellow large envelop on the table.

“It's from Professor Iidabashi,” the scout simply says.

Kirigiri lights up, stroking the fine paper as he surveys the sealed envelop. It was stamped with a wax seal. “Ah, this must be the contract for the tech upgrades and security measures for the school.”

“And with Tsuruhashi... still the same thing?”

The mood in the room instantly shifts. Kirigiri keeps his gaze at the document for some time, then shifts it to Kizakura. “Yes, still the same.”

“You don't have to do it, Jin.”

Kirigiri leans on his chair, a hand on his forehead. “I don't really have a choice. I've got more to lose if I don't agree with this.”

Kizakura gives him an apologetic look, then promptly stands up. “Yeah, yeah. I know. Later, then.”

 

–

4:56PM

 

“One minute to go Yumeno-chan! You can do it!” Chabashira says, her fists balled tightly by her sides. Her eyes nervously dart between Yumeno and the timer. It's becoming increasingly difficult to be supportive of the smaller girl's ambitious endeavor. There wasn't any water yet but Yumeno was still struggling to free herself from the locking mechanisms at the bottom of the tank. It only fuels her apprehensions more because at this rate, realistically, the magician could not perfect this trick in time for the party next Friday.

The timer runs out and plastic fishes drop from the overhead contraption. Yumeno groans when a fish hits her square on the face. “What a drag...”

“You'll get it next time, Himiko!” Yonaga says, picking up her bag from a corner of the magician's lab. “You should take it easy now.”

“What? She's only attempted to perform the trick three times and has barely wriggled out of it.” Chabashira accentuates her protest with exaggerated motions. She thinks Yonaga is being supportive in a wrong way. Building up Yumeno's confidence was one thing, but leading her to believe she could achieve something beyond her skillset at the moment is another.

“Oh Tenko, you really worry too much!” Yonaga chirps. “She's got enough time!”

“Nyeh...” Yumeno nods, then turns to Chabashira. “Help me out, Tenko.” The aikido master rushes to the water tank, and opens a hidden door. She unlocks the chains around Yumeno, who merely lies there passively. “Depleted my MP today...”

“Maybe it'll be easier if you practice with water,” Yonaga says, peeking in from outside the tank.

Chabashira turns to the artist with a scowl. “No! She's not ready for that yet. Or to perform this trick, at all!” In her anger, she pulls one of the chains forcefully than intended, tightening around one of Yumeno's limbs.

“Ow, Tenko, take it easy,” Yumeno drawls. The aikido master promptly apologizes.

An index finger on her chin, Yonaga says, “Hmm... what did Kaede say again... 'None of us are ever ready for anything.'”

 _Why is she being like this?_ “This is different! Yumeno-chan might be the Ultimate Magician but she still needs to practice her craft!”

“And she will! Angie just cut this time short because we have to study for the math quiz tomorrow. Or did Tenko forget that because of all her worrying?”

Chabashira is taken aback by the sudden snarky tone from Yonaga but she does feel guilty for taking it the wrong way. She finally frees Yumeno, but the smaller girl lies there for some time before getting up to leave the tank, and only then did Chabashira make a reply to the artist. “That did slip my mind, sorry.”

And in a snap, Yonaga was back to her cheerier demeanor. “Atua forgives you, Tenko!”

 

–

7:41PM

 

“Stop fussing. Okay. Yeah. Bye.” Harukawa ends the call and pockets her phone. Sighing, she leans on the handrail and surveys the patio area below with mild interest. The cold, evening breeze hugs her- a welcome sensation.

“Was that your mom?” A voice from behind her asks. She doesn't have to face him to know it's Momota. The astronaut liked to spend time on the rooftop area to look at the sky, often during this point of time.

“It was Akamatsu.”

“Holy sh-sheet of paper, really?" His face pales in an instant. And it was amusing to hear him constantly censoring himself. "How's that possible? Are you sure that was her? What if t-that was a... g-ghost?!” Momota wraps his arms around her in fright. Another welcome sensation, but one she will never admit even at gunpoint.

“Get off me.” Harukawa loosens his hold from her and pushes him aside. “She bought a cheap phone as a temporary substitute. Doesn't want her parents to get suspicious.”

Momota scratches his cheek. “Right, right. Not scared of ghosts, by the way.” He also leans on the handrail, gaze above the clouds with a wistful smile on his face.

They stand beside each other in silence for some time. She didn't think it was possible for him to shut up this long, which was very appreciated, but a part of her wants him to passionately spew out ramblings about space, his aspirations, or anything, really. He doesn't always say the smartest things, but she could listen to him all day.

As if the gods heard her plea, he does indeed talk, but his initiated topic was unexpected. “So, what did Akamatsu talk to ya' about?”

“Asked if everything was still relatively normal here. And told me to watch over Saihara.”

“Hah, that's so her. Really caring.” He pauses. From the corner of her eye, she sees him face away from her. “She's cute, huh?”

Harukawa's head snapped so quickly toward him that she's surprised it didn't spin off her torso. She's too stunned to speak. _What is he saying? This is way out of nowhere! I thought he--_

“I've been thinkin,' both of you do suit each other well.” _What?_   Now she's too stunned to laugh. He continues, "You've been hangin' around her more..."

The rooftop door swings open. “Momota-kun! There you are!” Gokuhara's voice splits the tension in the air. Harukawa regards it as a blessing.

Momota faces the boy, a brow quirked upward. “Oh hey, what's up, Gonta?”

“Angie needs some boys arranging the living room! She says water tank needed to be moved inside dorm by this Friday.”

“Oh, alright, cool.” Momota looks over to Harukawa. “Wanna help too, Harumaki? Don't think Angie would mind additional help.”

“Yeah, fine.” Harukawa hopes her face didn't betray any emotion when she spoke. She's still reeling from his statement about Akamatsu and her, together. _He thinks I like her? Oh my god. This is fucking gold._ She's sure to have one hilarious gossip for Akamatsu when she gets home later.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nickname guide:
> 
> hi welcome to chilis: ouma  
> Domo Arigato Mr Roboto: iidabashi  
> titty_inator: iruma  
> Gorls are Gru8: chabashira  
> Rooted for NaruSaku: shirogane  
> Big Toblerone: gokuhara  
> Youre Crashing But Youre No Wave: saihara  
> COMET me bro: momota  
> I Put A Spell On You: yumeno  
> Assassins Creed _Schoolgirl_: harukawa  
> oregano: amami  
> god is dead and we killed him: yonaga  
> Homo sapien penile erectus: shinguji  
> Alexa: tojo  
> hard boiled quail egg: hoshi  
> Der Flohwalzer: akamatsu


	20. II: Pedal to the Metal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drabbles in weekly progression leading up to the Party(tm)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> back at it again with the weekend updates :3  
> well... supposedly. kinda got delayed coz i had to fix more things ;w;  
> this is gonna be quite a long read  
> also I'm very sleep-deprived recently so the writing might be a little wonky

5/18/18

4:37PM

 

The walk to the dorms was mostly in relative silence, with only Momota's labored footsteps and the trolley wheels scraping on the concrete ground the only sounds one will hear in this procession. A small bump on the road causes the watertank to shudder, the chains keeping it in place rattling as it jerks slightly on the trolley.

“Hey, be careful with that!” Chabashira screeches.

“Gonta is sorry!”

“Oh, I don't mean you, Gonta-kun. It's just that _someone_ couldn't keep up pace!”

Momota lets go of the cart handle and saunters toward the aikido master, huffing. “Wait, why is this my fault?”

Yumeno tunes out the bickering, and takes a seat on a nearby bench. Normally, Chabashira's upbeat voice is a welcome sound, but it's starting to grate her as of late. The aikido master hasn't slowed down with her fussing at all, and would try to dissuade her from performing the escape magic every chance she gets, not to mention that she's been hovering around her more often than necessary.

Tojo stands idly beside her, silent as usual. Yumeno has barely spoken to the maid directly before, but she can't help but start a conversation. It beats having to listen to Chabashira scream 'degenerate male' continuously right now; she wishes she could mute that word from her brain.

“Hey Tojo...” She says, looking up at the maid.

“Yes? What can I do for you, Yumeno-san?” Tojo meets her gaze. Her eyes are hard and lips pressed into a fine line. Yumeno has always found her rather intimidating, but the vibe she's giving off now was a bit different.

Yumeno breaks her gaze. “Do you think I can do it, the water-escape magic?”

There's a brief pause before Tojo responds. “Is it encouragement you request of?”

Bluntness might be something Yumeno expected from Tojo, but not extreme indifference. The maid may have always acted professional, but never so much that her humanity is compromised. Regardless, she doesn't address it. “I... just wanna know your opinion if I could do it or not...” 

“That I cannot say. I have not spectated during your practice sessions so I do not have a grasp on how far you are with mastering such magic trick.”

“It's not a trick, it's real magic.” Seeing as Tojo doesn't respond to her statement, she continues, “Maybe I do need encouragement...”

“If that is what you wish. I believe that you would be successful in your performance, seeing you are quite proficient in magic and provided that you practice your craft daily.”

Yumeno releases a deep sigh. If it were Chabashira, she would scream out an impassioned speech peppered with uplifting words, even when her heart doesn't agree with what she's actually saying, and Yumeno greatly prefers that over Tojo's totally unfeeling one. “Jeez, Tojo... thanks.”

The maid doesn't reply, as expected, and Yumeno doesn't bother with lengthening the conversation. She relaxes on the bench, head tilted upward facing the heavens. The sky's grayish blue is splashed with warm tones as the sun begins its dip toward the horizon. She closes her eyes. Chabashira and Momota were still arguing, loudly and incessantly. Gokuhara, in all his pureness, attempts to settle down the two to no avail. Tojo was just there, her presence palpable despite silently standing beside her like furniture. A breeze passes, the coolness making her shiver slightly. The words Momota and Chabashira throw back at each other blend together into static background noise. Everything else fades not long after.

 

–

Yumeno awakens to the sound of Yonaga cackling. Few other voices register to her. Not immediately opening her eyes, she pats the surface of where they laid her. Her hand travels a bit too far and it falls to the ground, her palm meeting a hard, smooth texture. The action proves jolting her to full awakeness. She wills herself to open her eyes, and is met with different-colored lights hanging from the ceiling. Sitting up, she rubs her eyes before looking around. It finally registers to her that she's in the Living Room, starkly looking different after all the arranging done.

The wide-seat sofa, where she currently is, has been pushed back against the floor-to-ceiling window, with the coffee table an arms length away from it. The other sofa was propped against the wall near the staircase, lined up along with the one-seaters. The red, fluffy carpet was apparently put away, since it was nowhere to be seen. Her water tank seems to be crowning glory of the living room, as it was placed at the center. There wasn't much additional decoration other than the christmas lights dangling from the ceiling. 

“How's the wet dream, donkey lips?” Iruma says. Yumeno doesn't bother acknowledging her. Instead, she surveys the room for anyone else. Iidabashi was milling about, stacks of crepe paper in hand. Gokuhara and Hoshi were seated at the counter, having a conversation. 

Yonaga peeks out from a blindspot obscured by the water tank. She beams and bounces toward her. “Hello Himiko! Hope you enjoyed your nap!”

“Mhm, what time is it?” Yumeno extends her arms upwards, yawning as she stretches her joints.

Yonaga takes a seat next to her. “Prolly a few minutes past six. Dinner is ready, by the way.”

“Oh, okay. Let's have dinner now. I'm hungry.”

“Me too! Tenko went out though, but she'll be back in a few minutes.”

Yumeno considers this, but the gnawing feeling within her gut is overpowering. “We don't have to wait for her. I'm really hungry.” She stands up and begins to trek toward the kitchen, Yonaga falling into step beside her.

“Are you sure, Himiko?”

“Yeah, it'll be fine, she won't mind...” she says. Yonaga shrugs and makes a noise of affirmation. Deep within her though, a hollow feeling blossoms and it might not be part of her hunger pangs.

 

–

5/19/2018

9:04AM

 

Harukawa walks into the kitchen just as Akamatsu was about to leave for her cafe job. Only heaven knows why this girl has to quickly replace her phone with the exact model, and she's been really working hard for it with one too many part-time jobs.

“Oh, good morning, Maki! See you later!” Akamatsu says, caressing her shoulder as she passes by her. She smirks before turning and flipping her hair (it looked awkward), then finally exits the room.

Harukawa narrows her eyes, baffled by the blonde's actions, but she instantly realizes why she did that when she faces the kitchen table. Momota, Saihara, Ouma and Shinguji were seated there and having breakfast, the former having stopped dead in his tracks, likely because of what he just saw.

_Kaede, you little b—_

“Oooooh, first name basis already?” Ouma chirps. “How long have you two been hooking up behind our backs?” _Of course, Ouma just had to pour more gasoline._

Harukawa rolls her eyes, not bothering to respond. Whatever they're thinking, it's not true and both she and Akamatsu know it, and it's all that matters for her. She turns to fetch a plate from the cupboard when Tojo is already standing a few steps in front of her, a hand outstretched with a plate and utensils. Accepting them, she looks straight into Tojo's eyes and says, “Akamatsu and I are not dating.” She isn't sure if Tojo likes Akamatsu back, but wants to clear her end to the maid at least, in case she does. Turning towards the table again, she takes a seat near Shinguji. 

Ouma snorts. “Sure, jan.”

She scoops an ample amount of fried rice on her plate, her gaze trained on the bowl in front of her instead of the people in her immediate line of sight. After transferring beef slices to her plate, she begins eating, but the conscious effort of not looking at Momota begins to strain her. From her peripheral vision, she spots Shinguji eyeing her intently. Normally, she isn't bothered by the anthropologist's odd 'hobby' but her flaring anxiety was making it difficult to repress her emotions at this time, so she decides to entertain him to set her mind into something else. 

She cranes her head toward him. “What?”

Shinguji rubs his chin. “My apologies if my staring has made you uneasy. It's just... I never thought it would be you who Akamatsu-san would be in a relationship with. No offense meant. I could have sworn...”

 _That again, seriously? Kaede, this is your fucking fault._ “I am not going to repeat myself,” Harukawa says, turning away from him.

“Come on, Assassin-chan. Just one little gossip? Pwease?” Ouma pouts, his hands pressed together like in prayer.

Harukawa shoots him a glare. It sort of placates him because he merely laughs and continues eating. But by looking at Ouma, who was seated next to Momota, she clearly sees his crestfallen expression. He was picking on his food (still a plate full), having lost his appetite apparently. _I'm really going to kill her._

She still ignores him nonetheless, and continues with her meal. They all eat in awkward silence for a few more minutes before Saihara clears his throat.

“So, uh, what time do we buy the party decorations later?” He asks.

“We leave after lunch.”

“Oh, ok, cool.”

Another beat of silence.

Saihara breaks it again. “Harukawa-san, when did you both start dating?”

Harukawa stops eating and levels her gaze towards Saihara. He usually behaves himself, and she respects him a lot too. But this incessant questioning regarding her supposed relationship with Akamatsu has gotten stale too fast. And to prevent them from asking any further the same questions she's _already_ answered, she needed to make an example. Mentally apologizing to the capped boy, she hardens her gaze and clenches her fist around the lacquered wood chopsticks, snapping them in half. “If I hear one more goddamn question about that, I'll be snapping you in half.”

Saihara lets out a whimper and a quick apology before looking down at his plate.

Harukawa sighs, but is content with her little intimidation tactic. She absentmindedly rolls the broken pieces of wood on her palm. Tojo taps her shoulder, stealing her attention, and hands her a new pair of chopsticks before the thought of getting new ones even crossed her mind. They all eat in silence again.

Shinguji was the first one to leave the table. Then Ouma and Saihara, the former practically dragging the other one out. Like they're conspiring against her. Then again, it could be that Ouma just wants Saihara all to himself. She's almost done herself, rightly so because she wants to escape as soon as she could, but right now, her chewing pace was far too slow for her liking. 

Momota was trying his hardest to finish his meal; he isn't too keen on leaving leftovers, especially if it's half a plate many. He keeps silent the entire duration she was finishing up, never uttering a word even as she ate at a snail's pace, waiting and wishing he would actually say something. She already said Akamatsu and her weren't a thing, and with conviction too, so that should ease his mind.

Not wanting to act oddly, the moment she's done with her meal, she promptly stands up and places her used plate and utensils in the dishwasher. She was halfway toward the exit when Momota finally says something.

“Hey Harumaki...”

Harukawa turns to look at him, a bit too quickly than intended. She raises an eyebrow.

Momota gives her a thumbs up. “I'm glad you went for it. Told ya' you'd both suit each other well.”

She exasperatedly groans. “You idiot,” she grumbles under her breath as she trudges out the kitchen.

 

–

5/20/2018

 

7:19AM

 

Hoshi likes constants in his life, and nothing was more constant than routine. A Sunday morning typically started with him watching the sun rise from the rooftop, take a leisurely walk around the campus (and find a secluded spot to smoke), then return to the dorms to have a nice, long shower. Right now, he lays sprawled on his bed, taking a short rest before he takes a bath. Sunny laid sideways beside him, undisturbed by his prior movements of diving on the bed the moment he returned from his walk. She has been acting sluggishly the past few days, and Hoshi just chalked it up as being a “cat thing,” but it would be a lie to say it didn't bother him. Sunny was an old cat, has been with his family since he was a little kid. He pokes her tummy and she responds with a little twitch of her paw, but nonetheless remains mostly unmoving. There's still the rise and fall of her chest, so it's a bit comforting that she's still breathing. He doesn't like dwelling on it so he sits up and stretches a bit before going to the bathroom.

The stench of cat droppings greets him as he opens the bathroom door. Sunday was also cleaning day, as per routine, and it coincides with Tojo taking out their dorm's weekly trash to the school's incinerator. Unlike his early morning routine, he doesn't have a fixed list of tasks in matters of tidying up, but now was a good as time as any to clean the litter box. He reenters his bedroom to fish a trash bag from his storage cabinet and sees that Sunny was up and milling about. It's a relieving sight.

Hoshi was halfway through emptying the litter box when Sunny suddenly started meowing strenuously. He opens the bathroom door slightly to peek out. “What's wrong, girl?” He doesn't see her from his direct line of sight; he supposes she was behind the bed. Then there's a strangled wheezing sound followed by a hacking cough, immediately alarming him. He lets go of the trash bag and litter box, some of the contents spilling out as he leaps out of the bathroom and locates the cat. She was sprawled on the floor, uncannily still, a translucent liquid pooling from her open mouth.

“Sunny!” Hoshi kneels beside her in an instant. He gently runs a hand through her torso. _She's still breathing. Thank, Kami That's one good thing._

Sunny still manages to let out a meow as he continues stroking. _Need to get her to a vet._ He scrambles to get the pet carrier from the top shelf of his cabinet, and gingerly places Sunny inside. After changing into pants and donning his leather jacket, he exits his room with the pet carrier in tow. He wants nothing more than to rush to the clinic as fast as he could, but he imagined it wouldn't be comfortable journey for Sunny.

At the living room, seeing Tojo sweep the floor reminded him of the cluttered mess he left with the litter box. He doesn't know how long he'll have to stay with Sunny, and the mess in his bathroom would pose more problems if left for too long. It's not like him to ask favors, since that meant you would owe that person something as well, but right now, beggars can't be choosers.

“Tojo. Mind if you do me a little favor?”

The maid turns to him, concern passing her features when she spots the pet carrier on his hands. “Certainly, Hoshi-san. What can I do for you?” He's taken aback by her clinical attitude, but crossing the living room, he spots Shirogane with headphones on, sitting on the sofa near the window, not initially seeing her because of the water tank. _Ah, that explains that..._

Hoshi carefully sets down the pet carrier on the floor and fully faces the maid. It's not a daunting task, not for someone like Tojo, but he can't help but feel embarrassed for asking her to clean a litter box of all things. “I need to take Sunny to the vet. I was in the middle of cleaning the litter box and...” He scratches the back of his head.

Tojo bows slightly. “I understand, consider it done. I hope Sunny will make a full recovery of whatever ails her.”

“Thanks, Tojo.” _You're a good friend_.

 

–

**boo**

 

_**hows sunny? its not a fatal disease is it huhu** _

_Doctor said she'll be fine_

_**oh thats good. can I visit her??** _

_shes staying in the vet. I'll get her 2moro tho_

_**ok, i'll drop by then :D hbu? how r u holding up** _

_pretty good_

_**hoshi :/** _

_I promise, im fine. Just a bit tired, is all_

_**ok ok i'll take ur word for it. Eat properly ok!! its almost dinnertime** _

_yea babe, ily_

_**i love u toooo <33** _

 

It was almost six in the evening when Hoshi returned to Hope's Peak Academy. He stayed with Sunny through all the diagnostic tests that took up most of the day. All symptoms seem to lead to gastritis, but the doctor conducted several more tests to be certain. Sunny had to stay in the vet for the night for further examination, something he strongly protested, only to relent when he is assured Sunny will be well taken cared of. The day proved to be taxing for him.

After parking his motorbike at the designated area, he takes a long route towards the dorms. Spotting an obscure bench after rounding a corner of the courtyard, he decides to smoke there for a while. He was on his third cigarette when he hears leaves crackling on the ground, and turns to the source.

“We should stop meeting like this, boss. People are gonna' talk,” Hoshi says.

Kuzuryu snorts. “You and your wisecracks.” He takes a seat beside the smaller boy, and takes out his own pack of cigarettes.

“Need a light?” Hoshi flicks open his lighter. Kuzuryu graciously accepts the offer, leaning in with the cigarette in his mouth to light the tip.

After a few exhales of smoke, Kuzuryu speaks up. “Heard about your cat.”

Hoshi gives him a perplexed look. He highly doubts Tojo would gossip about his cat. “How'd you even know about that?”

“Peko saw you leave with a pet carrier earlier. You know how she is with animals. Went absolutely hysterical.”

“I take it everyone in your dorm knows?”

Kuzuryu nods, and he chuckles in response. They sit in silence for a while. The distant sounds of vehicles and the leaves rustling in the evening breeze were their only accompaniment. Hoshi supposes it was time for him to leave, but decides against it when Kuzuryu begins talking again. “The mafia... that killed your family. My boys found a lead...”

 

–

5/21/2018

 

8:54AM

 

“Saihara! Akamatsu! Yumeno! Shirogane! Pick up the pace!” Sakakura calls out.

Akamatsu huffs. “Ugh, I really hate PE.”

“Ah, I got special mention again,” Saihara says, wiping off the sweat from his forehead.

Both of them maintained a good pace, yet it wasn't really up to their PE Teacher's standards. Akamatsu had good cardio, but jogged at a snail's pace due to an unhealthy fear of accidentally breaking her fingers for doing just about any physical activity (except swimming). Saihara wasn't a very sporty person, and despite the late night exercise Momota had subjected him to, there wasn't any discernible effect on him yet. Yumeno and Shirogane were not faring any better, as they even lagged behind.

“Hey Kaecchan,” Saihara nudges his bestfriend, “you think Tojo-san likes running? She looks much more relaxed when she runs.”

“Why are you asking me?” Akamatsu turns to him, a look of annoyance on her face, but her cheeks were tinged pink. She's been blushing more often when Tojo is brought up. The pianist really has it bad. They weren't that far behind from the more abled runners, and the last person there was Tojo. Saihara supposes that she lags behind a bit to be ready to assist anyone should someone need it, but maintains a considerable pace so as not to look like she was underperforming.

“Well, just look at her and tell me what you think,” Saihara says, and Akamatsu does shift her gaze to look at the maid. The blush on her cheeks intensifies, and she abruptly returns her attention to him.

“Yeah, sh-she does look like she enjoys r-running.”

Saihara gives her a knowing look, and a flash of panic overtakes her features. “Did you hone in on her a—“ Akamatsu nudges him before he could finish his question. It wasn't a strong push, but caught off-guard, he wasn't able to keep his balance and he falls down. “Ow, Kaede!”

“Shit, sorry! Sorry!” Akamatsu says, offering a hand to help him up. “Don't say stuff like that, jeez.” He stands up and checks his legs for any scrapes and there were none. His bestfriend dusts off the dirt from his shorts.

“Oy, what was that about, Akamatsu?” Sakakura says, approaching them. “I thought I was clear with no horseplaying.”

Akamatsu stands in attention. “Sorry, Sensei! It won't happen again. Shuichi was just being... uh...”

“Um, well, Kaede was just telling me how great your muscles looked and I reminded her of your sexuality so she pushed me...”

Akamatsu looks at him, bewildered. Sakakura raises an eyebrow. “That's a terrible lie, Saihara. Both of you, twenty push ups, after you're done with the run. Now go.”

They were some distance away when Akamatsu whispers, “Great, thanks, Shu. Now he'll think I have a crush on him or something.”

“He saw through my lie, didn't he?”

“I suppose it beats having you actually tell the truth.”

Saihara puffs out his chest. “Lying is most noble only when to hide an unpleasant truth.”

Akamatsu's face falls, but manages to recover and lets out a giggle—forced. “That's strange, coming from a detective.” She quickens her pace a bit, and he tries to match her speed.

“It's necessary in my line of duty.”

“Yeah, I suppose it is.” She looks onward, her gaze traveling far beyond the horizon. _There's really something she's not telling me._

 

–

5/22/2018

 

5:16PM

 

The toy fishes from the overhead container drop, some hitting Yumeno as she loosens herself from the chains and scrambling toward the hidden exit in the tank—it looks awkward right now since she wasn't practicing in a filled tank. Yumeno has been dutifully practicing the escape magic for longer hours in her Lab, repeating and repeating until she got the hang of it.

Chabashira anticipates her near the exit, smiling when she crawls out. “That was amazing, Yumeno-chan!”

“Gonna have to start practicing with water...” Yumeno says while she pads out her uniform.

“N-Now?”

Yumeno eyes her wearily. “I have to. The magic should happen under water.”

Chabashira wrings her hands together. “Uh, yeah... but...” It's harder to come up with any excuses to dissuade her now that the day of the party is fast approaching.

“Besides, how else will I know what adjustments to do...” Yumeno tugs her arm. “I'll be fine, Tenko.”

Chabashira just has to trust her judgement then. “Okay.” She turns to Tojo, who was standing at the corner where their bags were placed. “Tojo-san, I'll need your help...”

Tojo bows, stiff and mechanical. “Of course.”

“The water pump's over there.” Yumeno points to a machine near a box of magic props. “Just hook it up with a water source...” She takes a seat on the floor and leans on the water tank, likely about to take a nap. Yumeno was such an expert at falling asleep the moment she closes her eyes.

“What...wait...” Chabashira doesn't rouse the smaller girl. Instead, she makes her way to the water pump and inspects the machine. Nervously, she picks up a hose, examining it. It was blue and had ridges. “Great, Tenko doesn't know how to work this thing,” she whispers to herself.

“I believe that should go to the water tank,” Tojo says from beside her. “And this one is for the water source.” She was holding out a much more narrow, green hose. Chabashira really admires how naturally intelligent Tojo is. She isn't really one to just screw up on the first try.

“Okay! Now all we need is a water source...”

“That would be from the Lab's lavatory.”

“O-Oh. Tenko doesn't think dirty water would be good for Yumeno-chan.”

“It will be from the washbasin's faucet.”

Chabashira scratches her cheek, her head lowered in embarrassment. “Right, sorry. I don't know why I immediately thought of that. Okay, let's get going!”

 

–

After filling the tank, Tojo excuses herself to make dinner for the class but promises to return after she's done. Now alone with a sleeping Yumeno, Chabashira sits near a wall and observes the tank. The water swirls and sloshes around. Air bubbles rise and disappear once reaching the surface. The smaller, suspended tank filled with plastic toy fishes loomed above. This whole contraption was nothing but bad news to Chabashira. Yumeno has explained the many rigged components of the tank, like the hidden exit at the back and the small compartment where she could slip into. Not to mention that the chains around her won't actually be secure, so she can easily break away from it. Chabashira wants to believe it was completely safe, but there's always that small margin of error that could lead her to drown- a terrifying thought.

Tojo returns an hour and a half later, accompanied by a Madarai brother. “Madarai-san wants to see the permit, Chabashira-san.” It's about this time that Yumeno also stirs awake.

“Oh, of course!” Chabashira scrambles to where their bags are. She rummages through Yumeno's things, she was the one who had the permit to stay after school hours. True enough, she finds it tacked in one of her folders, folded neatly. Taking it subtly, she crumples it under her fist. “Ah, I can't seem to find it.” Turning around, she spots Yumeno groggily walking towards her. “Yumeno-chan, where did you put it?”

The magician yawns. “It's in one of my folders.”

“It's not here,” Chabashira says as she pretends to rifle further through the folders.

“Nyeh...?” Yumeno gently pushes her aside and checks her things. Chabashira slips the crumpled permit in her pocket discreetly.

They both go through their things, the aikido master even offering to have her bag checked. It goes on for a few minutes before Madarai gets their attention.

“I'm afraid that without the permit, you cannot stay here any longer.”

“But I... I had a permit. It's just here... somewhere,” Yumeno says, frustration evident in her voice as she continues to rummage through her folders, opening and closing them and flipping every piece of paper in sight.

Guilt wraps around Chabashira, her voice slightly faltering when she says, “M-Maybe Yumeno-chan just misplaced it?”

Yumeno groans. “I didn't... I swear it was in one of my folders...”

“I'm sorry but I cannot allow you to stay,” Madarai says, voice stern.

“Fine... I'll just continue practicing tomorrow.” Yumeno slings her bag over her shoulder intensely, almost hitting Chabashira when it swings around. Picking up her folders, she opens them one last time to check, but lets out a huff and slumps her shoulders when she realizes the permit is truly lost.

Chabashira grabs her things, feeling a bit grateful the dreaded water escape is postponed for another day. The hardest part was how to postpone it on the next day, then the next, until she has to cancel the trick on Friday for having not practiced enough. Another part of her, feels horrible for what she's doing. She knows it's not right, even if it's done on good intentions. She just hopes Yumeno would understand.

The crumpled permit weighs heavy in her skirt pocket.

 

–

5/23/2018

 

4:16PM

 

“Ouma-kun, please, stop making this—woah!” Saihara struggles to keep his balance, the ladder groaning under his shifting weight. Ouma swipes at his cap again, trying to get it off his head but he manages to swat his hand away. “Ouma-kun! Stop it!”

“Nishishi, but we're having fun, Saihara-chan!”

“What we're trying to do is decorate the living room.” Saihara tries to pin a paper craft decoration on a beam while looking at Ouma, who was gearing to disrupt him again.

“It's boring!”

Saihara rolls his eyes. “I imagine it would be for you. Which is why I'm surprised you volunteered to help me.”

“I like you, Shumai. I'm trying to get into your pants.” Ouma twirls the snaking paper decoration around his right hand, then looks at Saihara with a smug grin on his face. “I thought that was clear.”

“Is that a joke?”

“Wow, you know me so well already!” Ouma makes another attempt to grab his hat, and he easily dodges. “But if you show me what's under that hat, maybe my crush on you will become real!”

“No thanks.” Saihara descends the ladder and moves it some inches. Ouma follows suit with his own ladder.

Ouma hands him another decoration to stick on the beam. He's actually very helpful, all things considered, despite being disruptive time and again. “Okay then, don't show me. But tell me why.”

Saihara turns to look at him, noting the smaller boy's expression. It's placid. “What?”

“Tell me why you never take your hat off. Akamatsu-chan has that bag slung on her back most of the time, but even she has the decency to not wear it during downtime in the dorms.”

Saihara purses his lips, not really comfortable on the topic. He looks away, and sighs. “I don't want to talk about it.”

Ouma shrugs. “Okie dokie then.”

The detective looks at him again. It's strange how much Ouma would ask the hard questions, and challenge one to think, but he would pull back whenever he inches closer to a line drawn. Such an enigma.

“Saihara-chan, I know I'm so drop-dead gorgeous but we still have some decorating to finish.” Ouma winks, then puts a finger on his lips. “But if we have time later, I can show you how even more gorgeous I am in bed.”

Saihara punches his arm playfully. Truly an enigma.

 

–

 

5/24/2018

 

9:32PM

 

“I'm back.” Akamatsu arrives to a busy dorm. Everyone was walking back and forth, decorating and setting up equipment. She expects the kitchen to be the busiest, because most of the food was being prepared tonight. As usual, her heart tugs at her to find Tojo, who undoubtedly has the biggest load in all of the preparations. She was about to peek into the kitchen when Iruma grabs her arm.

“Oy, Bakamatsu, c'mere a minute.”

Akamatsu shifts her gaze to the kitchen for a moment before focusing back to Iruma. “Um, okay?” The inventor leads her to a corner of the living room where various sound equipment lay cluttered. She points to a keyboard. It looked like a crazy hybrid of a synthesizer and a beat maker, with the piano keys glowing different colors.

“Play some Mozart with this baby. Need to record it for party music tomorrow.”

“What even is this?” Akamatsu presses one of the buttons named 'brass' then presses one of the keys. Sure enough, a nasal wind sound is produced.

Iruma places both hands on her hips, and puffs out her chest. “Of course I didn't expect you to immediately recognize my genius!”

“A digital piano with a synthesizer capability...” Akamatsu deadpans, unimpressed by Iruma's bravado.

“No, you dumb bitch. This baby generates audio signals that can be converted to sound, which can be used to make dope-ass beats.”

Akamatsu rubs her forehead. “That is the very definition of a synth, Iruma-san.”

“Whatever, piano nerd. Now play some Mozart!”

“Why Mozart? He's a classical musician. It's not going to sound well in a synth, unless it's on the classical piano mode.”

“Yeah, classically boring. But get this, if the keyboard detects you playin' boring shit, it converts it to dubstep.”

“Oh, fuck that shit.” Iruma is stunned at the pianist's sudden potty language. “I'm not doing this.” Akamatsu turns heel and walks straight into the kitchen. She could hear Iruma whine and snivel from behind her but she doesn't look back. No one disrespects classical music like that.

As expected, Tojo was in the kitchen. What she doesn't expect is her _alone_ , flipping beef patties on the grill. _Where are the others?_  She takes a step closer, taking in the nuances of Tojo's current state. Her back was slightly hunched, beads of sweat rolling down her face, and her hair was barely combed. The maid notices her, and she turns to greet her. “I see you are back, Akamatsu-san. Did you need something?”

“Not really... I just wanted to check on you.” _Kami, did that sound platonic or flirty?_ Akamatsu looks around the other kitchen counters; sees bowls filled with flour mix and chopped spices laying around, meat cuts and fish set aside to be cooked next, opened jars and boxes of several ingredients cluttered about, and turns her attention back to Tojo. “You need help,” she says with finality. The maid had a tendency to deflect help if you phrased it as a yes or no question, and she can't have _that_.

Nonetheless, Tojo looked like she was about to protest, with her lips pursed and her brow furrowed. A beat later, she relaxes. “If that is what you wish, Akamatsu-san.”

Akamatsu smiles, far too widely than intended. “Great! Just tell me what to do with...” she eyes a counter with ingredients strewn about, “these. Or I can chop stuff! I'm good at that.” She bounces toward the meat cuts and fish, lifting some from the chopping board.

“Akamatsu-san...” Tojo starts, and the pianist turns to her direction. The maid's back was against her. “Thank you.”

Akamatsu doesn't see it, but she's positive Kirumi was smiling at her. And it makes her heart swell.

 

–

5/25/2018

 

6:10AM

 

Yonaga wakes up twenty minutes before her alarm would supposedly ring. She sits up, no traces of drowsiness present as she stretches her arms to the heavens. Today's the day the fruits of her labor would be harvested. Akamatsu was good at rallying people, well, so was she.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha omg this was a little shippy overall  
> im sorry i cant help it i love kaerumi XD


End file.
